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Blood test

Overview Risks Results

T (thymus derived) lymphocyte count

Alternative Names: T cell counts; CD4 count; CD3 count; T-lymphocyte count What the risks are: Risks associated with having blood drawn are slight: Excessive bleeding Fainting or feeling light-headed Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin) Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken) Multiple punctures to locate veins Text Continues Below Note: This test is often performed on people with altered immune systems. Therefore, the risk for infection may be somewhat greater than when blood is drawn from a person with a normal immune system. Special considerations: This test can be affected by: Stress Surgery Chemotherapy medications Corticosteroids Immunosuppressive medications X-rays A flow cytometric measurement is more accurate than manual counts. People with decreased T lymphocytes may not react to diagnostic skin tests. Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

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