Educational information only. At Precursor, blood testing is requested and reviewed by a clinician and considered alongside your history and other markers, not as a stand-alone diagnosis. Testing is performed in NATA-accredited laboratories to ISO 15189 standards.
What is MCV?
MCV, or mean corpuscular volume, measures the average size of your red blood cells. It is one of the red cell indices, and it turns out that the size of red cells is a surprisingly useful clue to what might be affecting them.
Why it matters
MCV helps a clinician narrow down the cause of anaemia. Smaller-than-usual red cells often point toward iron deficiency, while larger-than-usual cells can point toward vitamin B12 or folate issues. This makes MCV a valuable signpost when haemoglobin is low.
What your results can mean
If your result is lower
A low MCV means smaller red cells, classically associated with iron deficiency. It prompts a look at your iron studies to confirm.
If your result is higher
A high MCV means larger red cells, which can point toward vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, among other causes. It prompts a look at those nutrient levels.
Australian reporting and interpretation
MCV is reported in femtolitres (fL). The RCPA adult guide interval is 80 to 100 fL; paediatric values are age dependent. Use the range printed on your own report and interpret MCV with the rest of the full blood count.
Test your blood count with Precursor
MCV is most useful read with haemoglobin and your nutrient markers. At Precursor it is measured as part of Full Advanced Bloods, a single clinician-reviewed blood draw covering your full blood count, iron, vitamins and other markers together, giving you and your clinician a broad baseline to understand and track.
