Red blood cell indices
Template:Short description Template:Infobox diagnostic
Red blood cell indices are blood tests that provide information about the hemoglobin content and size of red blood cells. Abnormal values indicate the presence of anemia and which type of anemia it is.[1]
Mean corpuscular volume
Template:Main Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is the average volume of a red blood cell and is calculated by dividing the hematocrit (Hct) by the concentration of red blood cell count.Template:Citation needed
- Normal range: 80–100 fL (femtoliter)
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin
| Abbreviation | MCH |
| Normal range | 27–33 pg |
| Unit | picograms (pg) |
| Calculated from | HGB ÷ RBC × 10 |
| Stability at 4°C | Up to 18 h |
Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) is the average mass of haemoglobin contained in a single red blood cell, expressed in picograms (pg). It is calculated from the haemoglobin concentration and RBC count: MCH = HGB (g/dL) ÷ RBC (×10¹²/L) × 10. It is reported as part of the CBC red cell indices. [2]
Storage Stability
MCH remained stable for up to 18 hours when stored at 4±1°C. After this period, significant changes were observed. [3]
Clinical Significance
- ↓ MCH (hypochromic): Iron deficiency anaemia, thalassemia [2]
- ↑ MCH (hyperchromic): Macrocytic anaemia (B12/folate deficiency), cold agglutinins [2]
- MCH parallels MCV closely in most situations; discordance may suggest specific conditions. [2]
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration
Template:Main Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) is the average concentration of hemoglobin per unit volume of red blood cells and is calculated by dividing the hemoglobin by the hematocrit. Template:Cn
- Normal range: 32-36 g/dL
Red blood cell distribution width
Template:Main Red blood cell distribution width (RDW or RDW-CV or RCDW and RDW-SD) is a measure of the range of variation of red blood cell (RBC) volume, yielding clues about morphology.Template:Cn
Erythropoietic precursor indices
Template:Main The reticulocyte production index (RPI) or corrected reticulocyte count (CRC) represents the true significance of the absolute reticulocyte count to provide some reflection of erythropoietic demand and supply. The immature reticulocyte fraction (IRF) goes a step further to cast more light on the same question.Template:Cn
Worked example
Template:Red blood cell indices worked example