Hematology
Mean corpuscular volume
The average size of your red blood cells.
Unit fLTypical adult range 80–100 fL
What it is
The average size of your red blood cells.
Why it matters
It is the first thing to read when hemoglobin is low, because the cause usually shows up as cells that are too small or too large.
Reading the number
Small cells point toward iron deficiency or thalassemia; large ones toward B12 or folate deficiency, alcohol or thyroid disease. A normal average can hide both at once, which is what RDW picks up.
What moves it
iron storesB12 and folate statusalcoholthyroid function
Read alongside
When to raise it
Worth discussing a value outside the range together with hemoglobin and ferritin.
Also known as
On a report in another language.
A lab report names this analyte in its own language. Vitals Vault recognises each of these and files them all under Mean corpuscular volume.
VGMVolume Globular MédioMCVKeskmine erütrotsüüdi mahtMittleres ZellvolumenV.G.M.
Catalog entry last updated 2026-08-27. Browse all 165 metrics.