Which test identifies the percentage of red blood cells to evaluate anemia?

The test that identifies the percentage of red blood cells in the blood is the hematocrit. This measurement is crucial for evaluating conditions like anemia, as it provides an indication of how much of the blood volume is made up of red blood cells.

A higher or lower than normal hematocrit value can suggest various health issues. In the context of anemia, a low hematocrit means there are fewer red blood cells in circulation, which can lead to symptoms of fatigue and weakness due to inadequate oxygen delivery to tissues.

While hemoglobin (Hgb) measures the amount of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells, the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) indicates the average size of red blood cells, and the RBC count gives the total number of red blood cells present, none of these directly measure the proportion of red blood cells in relation to the overall blood volume like the hematocrit does. Thus, determining the hematocrit is essential for diagnosing and understanding anemia.