Knowledge Check • The Blood Project

Sort the lab parameters (top) according to whether or not they are a routine part of the complete blood count (CBC) (below):

MCHC

MCV

Platelet count

RBC count

Red cell stiffness

Hct

WBC count

Hb

aPTT

Retic count

MCH

Schistocytes

RDW

Part of CBC

Not part of the CBC

Sort the complete blood count (CBC) lab parameters (top) according to whether or not they are measured or calculated by modern-day hematology (bottom): analyzers:

MCH

WBC count

Platelet count

MCHC

RBC count

Hemoglobin

Hct

MCV

Measured

Calculated

Abbreviations: RBC, red blood cell; WBC, white blood cell; MCV, mean cell volume; MCH, mean corpuscular hemoglobin; MCHC, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration; Hct, hematocrit.

Match the complete blood count (CBC) parameter with the relevant units:

MCV

RBC count

MCH

Picograms

Femtoliters

Trillions per liter

Correct! Sorry, Incorrect.

Abbreviations: RBC, red blood cell; MCH, mean corpuscular hemoglobin; MCHC, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration.

Which is more useful in day-to-day clinical practice:

a

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)

Anemia is classified according to mean cell volume and MCV and MCHC.

b

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)

The MCH is not included in anemia classifications. It simply tracks with the MCV and MCHC and offers little useful information (with rare exceptions). See next slide for more information.

MCH tracks with MCV and MCHC. Hold the MCHC constant, increasing the MCV leads to increased MCH. Hold the MCV constant, increasing the MCHC increases the MCH.