Mean corpuscular volume, hematocrit and polycythemia

Figures & data

Figure 1. Dynamic equilibrium. According to the formula Hct = MCV × RBC, both MCV and RBCs contribute to Hct level. If the values of MCV and RBC change equally and proportionally, Hct level remains stable.

Table 1. The patients’ RBC parameters. The parameters with clinically meaningful changes in values are highlighted.

^a Clinical data are omitted for demonstration purposes.

Figure 2. A simple diagnostic algorithm for identification of relative macrocytosis as a contributing factor to Hb/Hct elevation. Macrocytosis could be borderline (MCV < 100 fL) or relative compared to previous measurements.