What it measures
MCHC (mean cell haemoglobin concentration) is the average concentration of haemoglobin inside the red blood cells: how densely it is packed, rather than the amount in each cell. The lab works it out from the other full blood count results.
Why people test it
- Part of a full blood count, read with MCV and MCH when looking into anaemia.
- A low figure can be seen with low iron, where red cells hold less haemoglobin.
- A raised figure is uncommon and can come from the sample itself, or an inherited change in red cell shape.
Typical range
Ranges vary between labs, with the method used, age and sex, and your report shows the lab's own range. One NHS trust lab gives 310 to 360 g/L for adults; some labs report it in g/dL instead. Source: University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust pathology: full blood count (FBC).
Finger-prick or vein?
A vein draw is usually advised. MCHC is worked out from the other blood count results, and finger-prick samples can clot or have their red cells burst (haemolyse), which upsets them.