Mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
Last updated: Friday, 02, April, 2004
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| Item | Process |
|---|---|
| Specimen | 5 mL blood in EDTA tube. |
| Method | Part of FBC; calculated by automated and semi-automated instruments or from manual results. Arithmetically, MCHC is Hb divided by PCV. |
| Reference Interval | Some variation with method; adults and children 300-350 g/L. |
| Application | Guide to investigation of anaemia. Blood film should also be requested. |
| Interpretation | There is a rough correlation between low MCHC and hypochromia and between high MCHC and the presence of spherocytes. |
| Reference | Dacie JV and Lewis SM. Practical Haematology. 8th ed. Churchill Livingstone 1995. Bain BJ. Blood Cells - a Practical Guide. 2nd ed. Blackwell Science 1995. |