The Total Red Blood Cell Count (TRBC), also simply known as the RBC count or erythrocyte count, is a crucial component of a complete blood count (CBC). It measures the total number of red blood cells (erythrocytes) found in a specific volume of your blood.
These disc-shaped cells are vital because they contain hemoglobin, a protein responsible for transporting oxygen from your lungs to all the tissues in your body, and carrying carbon dioxide back to the lungs to be exhaled.
Measuring the TRBC helps doctors assess your body's oxygen-carrying capacity and diagnose conditions related to blood production or destruction, such as anemia or polycythemia.