ERYTHROCYTE JC Louise P.

Bandala,
RMT
INDICES
ERYTHROCYTE INDICES
Used to mathematically define cell size and the
concentration of hemoglobin within the cell
_____________________
_____________________
Should always be combined w/ careful examinations of
the blood film
 TEST ABBREVIATION UNITS
Hematocrit Hct %
Hemoglobin Hb / Hgb g/dL
Red Cell Count RBC Ct X 1012/L
ERYTHROCYTE INDICES

 MCV - Mean Corpuscular ______

 MCH - Mean Corpuscular ______

 MCHC - Mean Corpuscular ______

MEAN CORPUSCULAR
VOLUME (MCV)
 Average volume of a single erythrocyte in a given blood sample
 Reported in __________________

MCV (fl) =

Reference range: ________________

Increased MCV = ____________ (False increase if increased ____________

present)
Decreased MCV = ___________
MEAN CORPUSCULAR
VOLUME (MCV)
 MEAN CORPUSCULAR
HEMOGLOBIN (MCH)
 Indicates the average weight of Hb per erythrocyte
 Expressed as _______________

MCH (pg) =

Reference range: ________________

Increased: found in ________________ anemia

Decreased: found in _____________, ________________ anemia
MEAN CORPUSCULAR
HEMOGLOBIN (MCH)
MEAN CORPUSCULAR
HEMOGLOBIN CONTENT (MCHC)
 Indicates the average concentration of Hb per unit volume of
erythrocytes
 Expressed as ________________

X ___________
MCHC =

Reference range: _______________

Hyperchromic: ___________________
Hypochromic: IDA, thalassemia, defective iron utilization
MEAN CORPUSCULAR
HEMOGLOBIN CONTENT (MCHC)
MCHC above 38% does not occur except in:
 ______________________
 ______________________

MCHC will not fall below 22%, except in:

 ______________________
 ______________________
 MEAN CORPUSCULAR
HEMOGLOBIN CONTENT (MCHC)
If Increased MCHC is encountered:
1. ______________________ : if the MCHC corrects, report corrected results

2. ______________________ : if the MCHC corrects, report corrected results and

comment on possible cold agglutinin

3. ______________________ : Replace plasma with same amount of saline to

exclude interference e.g. Lipemia and Auto-immune antibodies—if the MCHC
corrects, report corrected results and comment on Lipemia

4. Check the slide for ______________________

MEAN CORPUSCULAR
HEMOGLOBIN CONTENT (MCHC)
POTENTIAL CAUSES OF ERRONEOUS
RESULTS WITH AUTOMATED CELL
COUNTERS
CAUSES OF SPURIOUS CAUSES OF SPURIOUS
PARAMETER
INCREASE DECREASE
Cryoglobulin
Autoagglutination
Cryofibrinogen
High WBC (>50,000/µL)
Giant platelets
MCV Hyperglycemia
Reduced red cell
Hemolysis (in vitro)
Microcytic red cell
deformability
Swollen red cell
Autoagglutination
Clotting High WBC (>50, 000/µL)
MCHC Hemolysis (in vitro/vivo)
Spuriously high Hb or low
Spuriously low Hb
Spuriously high HCT
HCT