Lab

Mean Corpuscular Volume

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Mean Corpuscular Volume, MCV Cutoffs for Microcytic Anemia, MCV, Mentzer Index

  • Findings
  • Normal (Units in femtoliters = 10^-15 liters)
  1. General
    1. MCV cutoffs vary from age to age
    2. MCV cutoffs also vary per reference
  2. MCV Normal Range
    1. Newborn: 95 to 121 fl
    2. Ages 6 months to 2 years: 70 to 86 fl
    3. Ages 12 to 18 years
      1. Boys: 78 - 98
      2. Girls: 78 - 102
    4. Age over 18 years: 78 to 98 fl
  3. MCV Cutoffs for Microcytic Anemia
    1. Age 1-2 years: <77 fl (CDC)
    2. Age 3-5 years: <79 fl (CDC)
    3. Age 6-11 years: <80 fl (CDC)
    4. Age 12-15 years: <82 fl (CDC)
    5. Age >15 years: <85 fl (CDC)
      1. Recommended adult microcytic MCV cutoff varies
      2. Some sources advocate MCV <78 and others <82
  • Calculations
  1. MCV = 10 x (Hematocrit / Red Blood Cell Count)
  2. Mentzer Index = MCV / RBC Count
    1. Ratio <13: Thalassemia
    2. Ratio >13: Iron Deficiency Anemia, Hemoglobinopathy