T (thymus derived) lymphocyte count

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Blood test

Overview

Risks

Results

T (thymus derived) lymphocyte count

Alternative Names:

T cell counts; T-lymphocyte count

Normal Values:

Lymphocytes make up 16-45% of white blood cells. Of those lymphocytes, about half are T cells, a quarter are B cells, and another quarter are natural killer cells.

Helper T-cells, also known as absolute CD4+ or T4 count: more than 400 per microliter, or 32-68% of lymphocytes
Suppressor T-cells, also known as absolute CD8+ or T8 count: 150-1000 per microliter

There are several ways to count T cells and the normal range may vary with the method used.

What abnormal results mean:

Higher-than-normal T-cell levels may indicate:

Lower-than-normal T-cell levels may indicate:

Congenital T-cell deficiency (rare)
Congenital immunodeficiency disorders
Acquired immunodeficiency disorders
Leukemias
Cancer
Hodgkin's
Acute viral infection
Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia
AIDS
Side effect of radiation therapy
Aging

Review Date: 3/2/2006
Reviewed By: Daniel R. Alexander, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital, Leonardtown, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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