What a low RDW means on a blood test
A low red cell distribution width means your red blood cells are unusually uniform in size. How to read it alongside MCV, and when it is an artifact.
Tag: cbc
4 posts
What a Hemoglobin Blood Test Measures, and How to Read Your Own Numbers
Hemoglobin is a concentration, not a mass, and that fact explains most of the confusion around a single result. Here is what the assay does, how much of a change is real, and what to pair it with.
High MCHC on a Blood Test: What It Means and What It Usually Isn't
MCHC is a computed ratio of hemoglobin to hematocrit, and most high values are analyzer artifacts rather than biology. How to tell the difference using your own CBC history, and the few red cell conditions that genuinely raise it.
Low MPV on a Blood Test: What It Means and How Much to Trust It
Mean platelet volume is a derived number from a fitted histogram, and it drifts with tube age and analyzer model. Here is how to tell a real low MPV from a preanalytical artifact, and what to measure alongside it.