Mean Corpuscular Volume

The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is a critical measurement for identifying the underlying cause of anemia. MCV is a laboratory value that measures the average size and volume of red blood cells (RBCs), providing essential information in the diagnostic process for anemia. MCV is expressed as femtoliters (fL). To calculate the MCV, the percent hematocrit is divided by the erythrocyte count, and the result is multiplied by 10:

MCV (in fL) = (Hematocrit %)/(RBC×10¹²/L)×10

Descriptively, MCV is viewed as a footprint of the anemia, indicating the characteristics of RBCs. In conjunction with other parameters such as hemoglobin and hematocrit, MCV classifies anemia into 3 main categories—microcytic, normocytic, and macrocytic. MCV levels below, within, and above the normal range define microcytic, normocytic, and macrocytic anemia, respectively. Furthermore, MCV guides the red blood cell distribution width (RDW) calculation.