Final answer:
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) is a measure of the average hemoglobin content per red blood cell and is calculated by dividing total hemoglobin by the number of red blood cells. It is used to diagnose types of anemia, but does not show hemoglobin distribution among red blood cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) is a measure of the average amount of hemoglobin within a single red blood cell. It is typically calculated using the formula: MCH = (total hemoglobin in grams per deciliter) รท (total number of red blood cells in millions per microliter), and the result is expressed in picograms (pg). This index is of clinical importance as it helps in diagnosing types of anemia. A potential problem with this index is that it provides an average rather than giving information about the distribution of hemoglobin within the red blood cells, which can be important in certain cases, such as the presence of both microcytic and macrocytic red blood cells in the same blood sample.