Determination of

hematocrit
By: Tom Anthony A. Tonguia
Introduction

 Hematocrit or Packed cell volume, is a commonly performed test that

observes macroscopically the volume of the packed red cells in a sample
of whole blood if performed manually.
 May be performed separately or as a part of a complete blood count
(CBC).
 Microhematocrit is a variation of the hematocrit.
 It is a sample procedure in which whole blood is centrifuged in a narrow
tube.
 The hematocrit value reflects the red cell volume relative to a given
volume of blood.
 Ideal test to follow the progress of anemic or bleeding patients.
Laboratory Determination of
Hematocrit
 The microhematocrit is performed using a few microliters of blood in a
slender capillary tube, approximately 7cm long and 1mm diameter.
 The test is based on principle of separating the cellular elements of the
blood from the plasma.
 The separation is speeded up by centrifugation.
 The layer containing the white cells and platelets has a whitish tan
appearance and is commonly referred to as the buffy coat