What does Red Cell Distribution Width–Coefficient of Variation (RDW-CV) mean?
Disease description:
I went to the hospital yesterday for a complete blood count (CBC), which included a test for red blood cell distribution width (RDW). I would like to ask: What does “red blood cell distribution width coefficient of variation (RDW-CV)” mean?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Xing Jian
Red Blood Cell Distribution Width–Coefficient of Variation (RDW-CV) is a parameter reported in routine complete blood count (CBC) tests, primarily used to assess the variation in red blood cell (RBC) volume. In healthy individuals, the RBC size distribution typically follows a normal (Gaussian) distribution. A marked leftward shift in this distribution curve suggests possible iron deficiency anemia, whereas a rightward shift indicates potential megaloblastic anemia.
