A high RDW is what you see when rbcs are significantly different in size.
MCV can be normal if you have a nicely divided population because it is an average.
Mean corpuscular volume.
You are welcome. Signed, hematologist.
I agree, I was just trying to let people know in more laymen terms that not all cells are created the same
However, I bow to a hematologist — my favorite rotation before anesthesia was hematology in internal medicine residency.
You folks are the best
Recent changes in MCV can be a sign that the RN or phlebotomist has drawn blood from the wrong patient.(as newby lab techs love to try and bedevil the nurses on my floor with...till we tell them that we transfused 3 units of blood into the patient who was a GI bleeder)
I do find it interesting that many high RDW’s are found in patients with histories of chronic drug and alcohol use. It was pointed out to me some years ago.
Your statement about the RDW helps make the aforementioned make sense to me as the chaotic nutritional issues seen in chronic substance abusers could be affecting marrow processes in the same chaotic way, thus differing rbc sizes.