Which measurement reflects an average volume of red cells in a given specimen?

The measurement that reflects the average volume of red blood cells in a given specimen is the Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV). MCV is calculated by dividing the total volume of red blood cells (measured by hematocrit) by the number of red blood cells in a given volume of blood. This provides an average volume of individual red blood cells, expressed in femtoliters (fL).

A higher MCV indicates larger red blood cells, which can be associated with conditions such as macrocytic anemia, while a lower MCV may suggest microcytic anemia. This metric is crucial in diagnosing various hematological disorders and guiding treatment decisions.

Understanding MCV helps hematologists and clinical laboratory professionals interpret a complete blood count (CBC) effectively, as it aids not only in determining the size of the red blood cells but also in identifying potential underlying causes of different types of anemia. Other measurements, such as hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and red blood cell count (RBC), serve different purposes, focusing on total volume, cellular hemoglobin concentration, and the number of red blood cells, respectively.