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):

Platelet count

MCH

Schistocytes

WBC count

Red cell stiffness

RDW

Retic count

Hb

Hct

aPTT

RBC count

MCV

MCHC

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:

MCV

Hemoglobin

Platelet count

WBC count

MCH

MCHC

Hct

RBC count

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:

MCH

RBC count

MCV

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.