Hematocrit is most similar to which other lab measurement?
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The hematocrit (HCT) and the packed cell volume (PCV, %) are both measures of proportion of blood composed of RBC but they are measured differently.
Hematocrit (HCT) is calculated by automated hematology analyzers by multiplying mean corpuscular volume (MCV) by red blood cell (RBC) count.
Packed cell volume (PCV) is a manually determined percentage of RBCs in a specific volume of blood. Fill a microhematocrit tube with blood and centrifuge it for a set amount of time (usually 3 mins) to tightly pack the RBC at the bottom of the tube. PCV is then measured using a special card with a grid.
Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that helps to transport oxygen.
Red cell count is just what it sounds like. Manual red cell counts are notoriously inaccurate, so electronic cell counters are usually used.
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) is a red blood cell INDEX calculated from RBC measures like erythrocyte counts, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and hemoglobin concentration (Hb, g/dl).
