Also known as PACKED CELL VOLUME, this is an expression of the fraction of blood volume occupied by the ERYTHROCYTES and is helpful in diagnosing various types of anaemia. It is measured by centrifuging a sample of blood in a capillary tube and measuring the height of the resulting packed cells as a percentage of the total sample height.

Normal values:

males 42–53 per cent or 0.42–0.53 mL/dL

females 32–48 per cent or 0.36–0.48 mL/dL