A großes Blutbild is one of the most common blood tests in Germany, and it is really two tests combined. The kleines Blutbild counts your red blood cells, your platelets and your white blood cells as one total, while the Differentialblutbild splits those white blood cells into their five types.
Every value in the test describes a blood cell, which is why doctors order it to check for infections and anaemia. The name misleads most people, because a großes Blutbild is not the big complete health check it sounds like.
Several things people expect are missing from it, and each one needs its own test even though the blood can come from the same draw:
- Cholesterol and the other blood fats are not part of a großes Blutbild.
- Blood sugar values such as glucose and HbA1c are separate tests.
- Vitamin values like vitamin D and vitamin B12 have to be ordered on their own.
- Iron stores measured as ferritin are not included either.
- Hormones and organ values such as thyroid, liver and kidney need extra tests.
When a doctor orders a großes Blutbild for a medical reason, your Krankenkasse pays for it. If you simply want one without symptoms, it is usually an IGeL-Leistung and costs roughly 25 to 40 euros.
Every value comes with a Referenzbereich from the laboratory, so one value slightly outside its range is common and usually means little on its own. A clinician reads the pattern across the values rather than one number.
This glossary entry is general information, not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat or rule out any condition. Discuss your own results with a clinician who knows your history.
