<P> The mean corpuscular volume, or mean cell volume (MCV), is a measure of the average volume of a red blood corpuscle (or red blood cell). The measure is attained by multiplying a volume of blood by the proportion of blood that is cellular (the hematocrit), and dividing that product by the number of erythrocytes (red blood cells) in that volume . The mean corpuscular volume is a part of a standard complete blood count . In a laboratory test that computes MCV, erythrocytes are compacted during centrifugation . </P> <P> In patients with anemia, it is the MCV measurement that allows classification as either a microcytic anemia (MCV below normal range), normocytic anemia (MCV within normal range) or macrocytic anemia (MCV above normal range). Normocytic anemia is usually deemed so because the bone marrow has not yet responded with a change in cell volume . It occurs occasionally in acute conditions, namely blood loss and hemolysis . </P>

What does mcv stand for in blood test