Total Red Blood Cell Count Hematocrit / Packed Cell Volume (PCV) Flashcards
What is meant by hematocrit/packed cell volume (PCV)?
It give us the quantitative amount of red blood cells (normal range is 40-54% for males and 37-47% in females)
What is the clinical importance of PCV?
Done when anemia is suspected
What type of specimen do you need?
Anticoagulated blood sample
How do you carry a PCV test?
1) fill capillary tube with blood and then close it with the clay
2) place the capillary tube in a centrifuge machine
3) use a rules or hematocrit tube reader to read the eight of the RBC + Plasma
Calculate using:
Height of the column composed of the elements (mm)/height of the whole column * 100%
How to determine the hemoglobin concentration?
Hemoglobin is considered to be in a 3:1 ratio with the PCV so if the hematocrit value was 36% then the hemoglobin will be 36/3 = 12 gm per 100ml of blood
What is meant by erythrocyte sedimentation rate?
It is the seed at which RBC settle on the bottom of a vertical tube when allowed to stand proceeding in three steps:
1) rouleaux formation
2) rapid settling
3) final packing
If there was a high sedimentation rate it may indicate inflammation, infection, autoimmune diseases, chronic kidney diseases, viral infection, pregnancy & cancer
Normal values are 0-20mm/hour
What is the procedure and type of specimen needed for a ESR?
Uncoagulated blood sample, westergren ESR tube, watch
1) fully fill the tube and place it exactly vertical
2) after 1 hour read the number of millimeters of visible clear plasma
What is ABO Rh blood grouping?
To determine the type of blood, you need:
1) anti sera A
2) Anti sera B
3) anti-Rh typing sera
Along with glass slide, alcohol swab, toothpicks
Place a drop of blood on a drop of each type off sera and see if there was a coagulation or not
How to calculate to coagulation time?
You need a non-heparinized capillary tube, stop watch, paper towel, alcohol swab.
Take a blood sample using a capillary tube, break part of it each 30 sec if a fibrin strand was seen stop the watch and record the timing
What does a low hematocrit indicate?
It can indicate anemia
What is meant by the mean corpuscular volume (MCV)?
measurement of the average size of RBCs
What is meant by the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)?
calculation of the average amount of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin inside a red blood cell
What is meant by the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)?
calculation of the average percentage of hemoglobin inside a red cell
What is meant by red cell distribution width (RDW)?
may be included in a CBC, is a calculation of the variation in the size of RBCs
Different blood group can receive and donate to who?
1) A can give A,AB receives from O,A
2) B can give B,AB receives from O,B
3) AB can give AB receives from every blood group
4) O can give everybody receives from O
