Final answer:
The correct formula for Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) is MCV = (Hematocrit (Hct) × 10) / Red Blood Cell (RBC) count. MCV is a key measurement in evaluating red blood cell size, which is used in the diagnosis of various anemias.
Step-by-step explanation:
The formula for Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) is MCV = (Hematocrit (Hct) × 10) / Red Blood Cell (RBC) count. This is option b) in the provided choices. MCV is a measure of the average volume of a red blood cell and is a part of a standard complete blood count (CBC). It is calculated by dividing the hematocrit (the volume percentage of red blood cells in blood) by the total number of red blood cells. The hematocrit is usually expressed as a percentage, and the RBC count is in millions per microliter of blood. To get the MCV in femtoliters (fL), we multiply the hematocrit by 10 before dividing by the RBC count to correct the units.
A patient's hematocrit (Hct) is the volume percentage of erythrocytes (red blood cells) in a sample of centrifuged blood. If a patient's hematocrit is 42 percent, this means 42 percent of their blood volume is made up of red blood cells. When diagnosing conditions related to red blood cells, such as anemias, understanding MCV can be crucial, as it provides insight into the average size of the red blood cells.