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Hema I Chapter 11_RBC indices

Chapter 11 focuses on red cell indices, including MCV, MCH, MCHC, and RDW, which are crucial for diagnosing and classifying anemias. It explains how to calculate these indices and their clinical significance, with normal value ranges and interpretations for each. The chapter also emphasizes the importance of RDW in assessing red blood cell size variability and its potential role in identifying iron-deficiency anemia.

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10 views13 pages

Hema I Chapter 11_RBC indices

Chapter 11 focuses on red cell indices, including MCV, MCH, MCHC, and RDW, which are crucial for diagnosing and classifying anemias. It explains how to calculate these indices and their clinical significance, with normal value ranges and interpretations for each. The chapter also emphasizes the importance of RDW in assessing red blood cell size variability and its potential role in identifying iron-deficiency anemia.

Uploaded by

mlskennam
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 11: RED CELL

INDICES
Objectives

At the end of this chapter, the student will be


able to:
 Define MCV, MCH and MCHC.
 Explain the purpose of calculating the red cell
indices
 Calculate MCV, MCH and MCHC values from given
values
 Define RDW
 Discuss the clinical significance of RDW
11.1. Introduction
 The red cell indices: are absolute values calculated
from:
 The measured hemoglobin
 PCV
 RBC count
 are of considerable clinical importance in the
diagnosis and classification of anemias
Introduction cont’d

 The red cell indices include


 Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
 Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)
 Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration
(MCHC)
 Red cell distribution width (RDW) is another
important red cell parameter obtained by electronic
methods
 RDW measures the variation in size of the red blood
cells (degree of anisocytosis)
11.2.The Mean Cell Volume (MCV)

 Is the average volume of a red cell expressed in


femto litres (fL)
 Femtoliter is 10-15 of a liter
 MCV is obtained by dividing the PCV by red cell
number

 MCV (fl) = PCV (l/l)


No. of RBC/L
Example: PCV = 0.45(l/l)
RBC = 5  1012/l
MCV = 0.45 (l/l) = 90  10-15 = 90fl
5  1012
Interpretation

Normal Values
 Men and Women: 80-100 fl
 MCV
 increased in
 macrocytic anemias
 decreased in
 microcytic anemia
11.3. The Mean Cell Hemoglobin (MCH)
 is the average amount of hemoglobin per individual
red cell expressed in picograms (pg).
 It is given by:
MCH (Pg) = Hb (g/L)
RBC/L
 Example: Hb conc. = 150g/L
RBC = 5  1012/L

MCH (pg) = 150 = 30  10-12 = 30pg


5  1012
Interpretation

 Normal Value: Men and women: 27-31 pg.


 MCH is increased in
 macrocytic anemia
 MCH is decreased in

- Microcytic anemia
11.4 The Mean Cell Hemoglobin Concentration
(MCHC)

 -Is the average hemoglobin per unit volume of red


cells.

MCHC (g/l) = Hb (g/L)


PCV (L/L)

 Example: Hb conc. = 148g/L


PCV = 0.45 (L/L)

MCHC = 148 = 328g/L


0.45
Interpretation

 Normal Values: Men and women: 32-36 % (320-


360 g/L)
 MCHC is increased in some cases of hereditary
spherocytosis
 MCHC is decreased in iron deficiency anemia
11.5. Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW)

 Another index, the red cell distribution width


(RDW), is specifically designed to reflect the
variability of red cell size.
 Measures in size variability (anisocytosis).
 larger values of RDW indicate greater variability.
 An elevated RDW may be an early sign of iron-
deficiency anemia
RDW cont’d
 In the Coulter Model S plus, a red cell histogram is
plotted and the RDW(%) is defined as the
coefficient of variation of the MCV:

RDW (%) = SD of MCV x 100

Mean MCV
 The reference range for RDW is from 11.5% to
15%, but varies with the instrument used.
Review Questions
1. Define: MCV, MCH, MCHC, and RDW.
2. What is the purpose of calculating the red cell
indices?
3. A complete blood count was performed for a
patient and the following profiles were recorded:
WBC= 8,000/mm3
PCV = 50%
Hb = 15g/dl
RBC count = 5 x 106/mm3
 Calculate the MCV, MCH and MCHC values for the
patient. Interpret your results in the light of the
normal values for these indices.

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