Which instrument is used to determine packed cell volume by centrifugation?

Study for the VTNE Laboratory Procedures Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question offers hints and explanations, enabling increased understanding and retention. Prepare effectively for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which instrument is used to determine packed cell volume by centrifugation?

Explanation:
Packed cell volume by centrifugation relies on spinning blood in a small capillary tube to separate red cells from plasma. The device that performs this separation is the hematocrit centrifuge, designed to spin at a precise speed for a set time so the red blood cells form a packed layer at the bottom and plasma remains on top. After spinning, you read how much of the tube is filled by the red cell layer using a hematocrit reader, which provides the PCV percentage from the calibrated scale. So the key tool for the centrifugation step is the hematocrit centrifuge, while the reader interprets the result after spin.

Packed cell volume by centrifugation relies on spinning blood in a small capillary tube to separate red cells from plasma. The device that performs this separation is the hematocrit centrifuge, designed to spin at a precise speed for a set time so the red blood cells form a packed layer at the bottom and plasma remains on top. After spinning, you read how much of the tube is filled by the red cell layer using a hematocrit reader, which provides the PCV percentage from the calibrated scale. So the key tool for the centrifugation step is the hematocrit centrifuge, while the reader interprets the result after spin.

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