The mean red blood cell volume (MCV) represents the average size of individual red blood cells in the blood. The normal value of MCV for a normal adult is 80-100 fl. If the MCV value is below 80, it is called microcytic. The hemoglobin volume, average red blood cell volume, and average red blood cell hemoglobin concentration are often used clinically to determine whether a patient is anemic and the type of anemia.
If the patient’s hemoglobin value is lower than normal, the patient is anemic, and then the type of anemia is determined based on the average red blood cell volume. If the average volume of red blood cells is below 80 fl, it is called microcytic anemia; if it is above 100 fl, it is called macrocytic anemia; and if it is between 80 and 100 fl, it is orthocytic anemia. The etiology can thus be narrowed down, and the cause of the patient’s anemia can be clarified in combination with other relevant tests.
Small-cell anemia is common in clinical practice. Iron-deficiency anemia, iron-granulocytic anemia, thalassemia and chronic disease anemia are all small-cell anemia, i.e., patients with these types of anemia have low mean red blood cell volume values.
Therefore, low mean red blood cell volume should be combined with other indicators such as hemoglobin to determine the type of anemia and identify the cause of anemia. For patients with anemia, low mean red blood cell volume represents microcytic anemia, and iron deficiency anemia, iron granulocytic anemia, thalassemia and chronic disease anemia need to be considered, but further laboratory tests are needed to clarify the specific cause before targeted diagnosis and treatment can be performed.