Packed Cell Quantity (PCV) measurement utilizing a ruler offers a fast estimation of the proportion of purple blood cells in a blood pattern. After centrifuging a blood pattern in a hematocrit tube, the peak of the purple blood cell column is measured, together with the entire top of the blood column (together with plasma and buffy coat). A ruler is then used to find out these measurements in millimeters. The PCV is calculated by dividing the peak of the purple blood cell column by the entire top of the blood column, then multiplying by 100 to specific the consequence as a share.
The willpower of PCV is a elementary diagnostic process in veterinary and human drugs. It presents a fast and cheap evaluation of a affected person’s hematological standing, notably within the detection of anemia or dehydration. Traditionally, this guide approach served as the first technique of assessing purple blood cell quantity earlier than the arrival of automated hematology analyzers, and it stays priceless in resource-limited settings or as a confirmatory check.
