What does the abbreviation MCV stand for in red blood cell indices?

• A. Mean Corpuscular Value
• B. Mean Corpuscular Volume
• C. Mean Cell Hemoglobin
• D. Macrocyte Volume Index

Answer: (B)

MCV stands for Mean Corpuscular Volume. It represents the average size of red blood cells and is reported in femtoliters. It’s derived from a standard CBC calculation (roughly from hematocrit and RBC count) and helps classify anemia as microcytic, normocytic, or macrocytic. A normal MCV is about 80–100 fL; values below suggest smaller-than-average cells (microcytosis), while values above suggest larger-than-average cells (macrocytosis). The other proposed phrases aren’t the standard terminology for this measured size—they don’t describe the same concept as accurately.