hematocrit
Definition
- Noun:
- A measuring instrument: A device, typically a centrifuge, used to separate the cellular components of blood from the liquid plasma in order to measure their relative volumes.
- A measurement or ratio: The percentage of the total blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells. This value is determined using the hematocrit instrument.
Usage Examples
- Noun (as a measurement):
- A low hematocrit can be a sign of anemia.
- The doctor ordered a blood test to check my hematocrit level.
- Noun (as an instrument):
- The lab technician used a hematocrit to process the blood sample.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used interchangeably with "packed cell volume" (PCV).
- In medical reports, it is commonly abbreviated as Hct.
- The patient's Hct was 42%.
Variants and Related Words
- Hematocrit centrifuge (n): The specific type of centrifuge used to perform the test.
- Microhematocrit (n): A method using small capillary tubes for the test.
Synonyms
- Packed cell volume (PCV): The ratio measurement itself.
- Erythrocyte volume fraction: A more technical term for the measurement.
Different Meanings
The word hematocrit has two closely related but distinct meanings: 1. The instrument (the centrifuge tube or device) used to make the measurement. 2. The numerical result (the percentage) obtained from the test. This is its most common meaning in a medical context.
Noun
-
a measuring instrument to determine (usually by centrifugation) the relative amounts of corpuscles and plasma in the blood
-
the ratio of the volume occupied by packed red blood cells to the volume of the whole blood as measured by a hematocrit
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