Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW)

Doctor123.org helps physicians and healthcare professionals Diseases & Conditions Drugs Patient Handouts Procedures Lab Tests Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) Definition RDW is a coefficient of variation of the distribution of individual RBC volume. Normal range: 12.1 " “14 fL. Use An elevation in RDW is useful in drawing attention to anisocytosis, a marker for various anemias. Interpretation The RDW is particularly helpful in separating iron deficiency anemia (high RDW, normal to low MCV) from Ž ²-thalassemia trait (normal RDW, low MCV). Increased RDW is also useful in identifying red cell fragmentation, agglutination, or dimorphic cell populations. Limitations Very high WBC, numerous large platelets, and autoagglutination result in falsely elevated RDW. Copyright © 2016 - 2017 Doctor123.org | Disclaimer