HealthVas

Blood Picture - Peripheral Smear Examination in Delhi

Profile Price

₹390₹49020% OFF

✓Includes 5 Parameters & Biomarkers

✓NABL Report Delivered in 24h

Included Tests

5 Parameters

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Ideal For

Men & Women

All Age Groups
Report Time

24h

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When a parent's haemoglobin stays low despite months of iron tablets, or a child's fever returns with an odd blood count, the usual advice is a peripheral smear. The Blood Picture - Peripheral Smear Examination puts a drop of your blood on a slide, stains it, and has a qualified pathologist examine it cell by cell. It reports five findings: Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, Platelets, Hemoparasites and a written Impression. Counting is something machines do; seeing shape and structure is not. The smear is read together with the Complete Blood Count (CBC) + ESR, which gives the counts. No fasting is required, so one visit can fit anyone in the household. Processed at a NABL-accredited laboratory, digital reports in 24 hours, from 390. Home sample collection is available across Delhi, including Saket, Hauz Khas, Lajpat Nagar, Dwarka, Rohini, Pitampura, Mayur Vihar and Kalkaji. Any collection charge is shown in the booking flow.

Included Parameters & Biomarkers (5)

Red Blood Cells
White Blood Cells
Platelets
Hemoparasites
IMPRESSION

The Five Findings of a Peripheral Smear, Explained

At a Glance

Profile: Blood Picture - Peripheral Smear Examination. Tests: 5 reported findings: Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, Platelets, Hemoparasites and Impression. Price: From 390. Fasting: Not required. Sample: Blood. Reports: 24 hours, digital. Home collection: Available across Delhi; any charge is shown in the booking flow. Lab: NABL-accredited.

Do not expect this profile to replace a blood count. The smear describes cells, and the counts come from the Complete Blood Count (CBC) + ESR, so doctors usually ask for them together. Both sit in every full body package, starting with the Basic Full Body Checkup (77 parameters), and a package costs less than booking the two profiles separately.

Reading It Finding by Finding

Red Blood Cells: the pathologist notes size, shape, colour and unusual forms. White Blood Cells: the types present and whether any look immature or abnormal. Platelets: whether they look adequate on the slide and whether they have clumped. Hemoparasites: whether parasites are seen. Impression: the pathologist's written conclusion, which is the part your doctor will read first.

A Test Done by Hand

The slide is prepared and read by a qualified pathologist, which cannot be automated. Analysers count and sort cells quickly but cannot reliably describe their shape or internal structure. That is the reason a smear takes specialist time and why some cheaper packages leave it out.

Why Cell Shape Answers the Question a Count Leaves Open

Low haemoglobin on a CBC does not say why. On the slide, small and pale red cells (microcytic) point towards iron deficiency or thalassemia trait; large cells (macrocytic) towards B12 or folate deficiency; sickle-shaped cells towards sickle cell disease. In households where more than one person is anaemic, this matters: over 50% of Indian women aged 15–49 are anaemic (NFHS-5, 2019–21), and the cause can differ between family members.

Immature Cells and Misleading Platelet Counts

Blast cells are immature white cells whose presence may indicate leukaemia; analysers can flag something odd but cannot identify them reliably. Separately, platelets sometimes clump and an analyser reads that as a dangerously low platelet count. A slide shows whether the count is truly low, which matters in a fever when a doctor is deciding how worried to be.

Hemoparasites in Delhi

Dengue, malaria and chikungunya are endemic across Delhi NCR. The Hemoparasites finding reports whether malarial parasites are visible in the blood. A smear does not diagnose dengue or chikungunya, and a negative slide cannot rule out malaria when few parasites are present, so a fever that keeps returning should be reviewed by a doctor even if this finding is clear.

For Older Family Members

With no fasting, a visit can be fitted around medicines, meals and mobility. A grandparent can be sampled at home in the late morning, and a second family member can be sampled in the same slot. A smear is often requested for older people with unexplained anaemia or an abnormal white cell count. Tell the phlebotomist about blood-thinning medicines.

What the Report Will and Will Not Tell You

The report gives a plain-language line for each of the four cell headings, then the Impression. Take the Impression and your CBC to the doctor together. A smear is a description of one sample on one day: a normal one makes many blood diseases unlikely, but it cannot exclude conditions that need specific tests, such as thalassemia trait, and it cannot say how a condition will behave later.

What Is Not Included

This profile does not include numerical cell counts, Haemoglobin values or ESR, which belong to the Complete Blood Count (CBC) + ESR. It also excludes Iron Studies, ferritin, Vitamin B12 and folate levels, Hb electrophoresis or HPLC, flow cytometry, bone marrow examination, and dengue, malaria antigen or typhoid tests. A doctor may order any of these after reading the Impression. Each is a separate order.

About the Laboratory

Samples are processed at a NABL-accredited laboratory in our network. NABL accreditation is granted to individual laboratories after evaluation of their equipment, processes and personnel; it is not a company-wide certification, and HealthVas does not claim to hold it.

Sources

NFHS-5, 2019–21

Content last reviewed: October 2026

Who Needs a Peripheral Smear in Delhi?

  • Older adults whose anaemia has not responded to treatment – When haemoglobin stays low after weeks of iron, the question is whether iron was ever the problem. The smear shows whether red cells are small, large or irregular, which points toward iron, B12 or folate or something else. Over 50% of Indian women aged 15–49 are anaemic (NFHS-5, 2019–21), but in older adults other causes are common, so the Impression guides the doctor.
  • Anyone with a fever that keeps coming back – Dengue, malaria and chikungunya are endemic across Delhi NCR. The Hemoparasites finding reports whether malarial parasites are visible. It does not diagnose dengue or chikungunya, and a clear slide does not exclude malaria when parasites are few, so repeated fever still needs review by a doctor, who may repeat the sample.
  • Families where more than one person is anaemic – Anaemia can run in a household for different reasons: diet, blood loss, or an inherited condition. Sickle-shaped cells suggest sickle cell disease and small pale cells can accompany thalassemia trait, though confirmation needs Hb electrophoresis or HPLC. With no fasting, several members can be sampled in one home visit.
  • Anyone with a very low platelet count and no matching symptoms – Clumped platelets are read by automated counters as a falsely low count. A pathologist checking the slide can tell a true fall from clumping, which avoids unnecessary alarm and unneeded treatment. If the count really is low, the Impression says so and the doctor can plan follow-up.
  • People with an abnormal white cell count that nobody can explain – A white cell count far above or below normal, or an unusual differential on a CBC, is a common reason for a smear. The pathologist looks for immature cells, including blast cells that may indicate leukaemia. This is a signal for specialist review, not a diagnosis, and further tests such as flow cytometry are not part of this profile.
  • Patients asked for a smear before a procedure or a specialist visit – Haematologists and surgeons sometimes request a peripheral smear on top of a CBC. The report gives them the five findings and a written Impression in a format that can be forwarded digitally. Because no fasting is needed, it can be fitted around other appointments, and the report arrives within 24 hours.

How to Prepare

Fasting: None. Eat, drink and take regular medicines as usual. Several family members can be sampled in one visit.

Sample: One venous blood draw. The slide is prepared and read at the laboratory.

Keep the CBC handy: The smear is read alongside a blood count. If a recent CBC prompted this test, show both reports to the doctor, or add the Complete Blood Count (CBC) + ESR.

For an elderly family member: a late-morning or afternoon slot works. Tell the phlebotomist about blood thinners.

Medications and supplements: Mention recently started iron, B12 or folate, steroids or chemotherapy, as they change how cells look.

Fever or travel: Note the dates of fever and any recent travel so the finding on parasites is read in context.

Home collection: Available across Delhi, including Saket, Greater Kailash, Hauz Khas, Malviya Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Dwarka, Janakpuri, Rohini, Pitampura, Model Town, Mayur Vihar, Preet Vihar and Kalkaji. Any charge is shown in the booking flow.

Reports: Digital within 24 hours, with the pathologist's written Impression.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Blood Picture - Peripheral Smear Examination in Delhi

What is included in the Blood Picture - Peripheral Smear Examination?

Five reported findings from one blood sample: Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, Platelets, Hemoparasites and a written Impression by the pathologist. A qualified pathologist prepares and reads the slide cell by cell. No fasting is required and digital reports arrive within 24 hours.

Does a peripheral smear replace a CBC?

No. A smear is normally read alongside a CBC because it describes cell appearance while the CBC supplies counts and Haemoglobin. The companion profile is the Complete Blood Count (CBC) + ESR. Both are included in every full body package, starting with the Basic Full Body Checkup (77 parameters).

Is fasting needed for a peripheral smear in Delhi?

No. The Blood Picture - Peripheral Smear Examination needs no fasting, so you can eat, drink and take regular medicines as usual. Full body packages differ because they include a Lipid Profile and fasting glucose that need an overnight fast.

What does a peripheral smear cost in Delhi?

The Blood Picture - Peripheral Smear Examination starts from 390. Any home collection charge is shown in the booking flow before you confirm. For a smear plus a CBC and other profiles, a full body package starting with the Basic Full Body Checkup (77 parameters) costs less than booking each separately.

Why is a smear done by hand and not by a machine?

Machines count cells but cannot reliably judge shape, size or internal structure. A qualified pathologist has to prepare the slide and read it cell by cell. That is why the test involves specialist time and is sometimes omitted from cheaper packages.

What does the Hemoparasites result mean?

It states whether parasites, such as the malarial parasite, were seen on the slide. If positive, it needs urgent medical attention. If negative, malaria is not fully excluded when parasites are few, so repeat sampling may be advised if fever continues. It does not test for dengue or chikungunya.

Can the smear tell what kind of anaemia I have?

It can suggest the type. Small pale cells point towards iron deficiency or thalassemia trait, large cells towards B12 or folate deficiency, and sickle shapes towards sickle cell disease. Confirming the cause needs Iron Studies, vitamin levels or Hb electrophoresis or HPLC.

Does a smear diagnose leukaemia?

No. It can show blast cells, which are immature white cells that may indicate leukaemia, and it prompts specialist referral. Diagnosis and classification need a haematologist and tests such as flow cytometry or bone marrow examination, which are not part of this profile.

Can one home visit cover several family members in Delhi?

Yes. Because no fasting is needed, a single afternoon or evening slot can cover a parent, a spouse and a grandparent. Each person is booked separately and receives their own report with the pathologist's Impression.

Can the sample be collected at home for a parent who cannot travel?

Yes. Home collection is available across Delhi, including Saket, Hauz Khas, Lajpat Nagar, Dwarka, Janakpuri, Rohini, Pitampura, Mayur Vihar and Kalkaji. Give a landmark and a working phone number at booking. Any collection charge is shown in the booking flow.

Which packages include the Peripheral Smear?

Every full body package includes the Blood Picture - Peripheral Smear Examination together with the Complete Blood Count (CBC) + ESR, starting with the Basic Full Body Checkup (77 parameters). A package costs less than booking these and other profiles one by one.

How long does the report take?

Digital reports are delivered within 24 hours of the sample reaching the laboratory. It lists findings for Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, Platelets and Hemoparasites, and ends with the pathologist's written Impression.

Is the laboratory NABL-accredited?

Yes, samples are processed at a NABL-accredited laboratory in our network. NABL accreditation is granted to individual laboratories after evaluation of their equipment, processes and personnel; it is not a company-wide certification, and HealthVas does not claim to hold it.

Can a normal smear rule out a blood disorder?

Not entirely. A normal smear makes many blood disorders unlikely but cannot exclude early disease or conditions that need specific tests, such as thalassemia trait, which needs Hb electrophoresis or HPLC. Persisting symptoms should be reviewed by a doctor.

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