What is the role of MCV in anemia

[measqu]

I'm a student studying anemia and I'm trying to understand the role of MCV in the condition. Could someone please help me understand what the MCV's role is in anemia? What does the size of the MCV indicate? What implications does the size have on the condition? I would really appreciate any help on this topic.

 

[MindMapper]

MCV, or mean corpuscular volume, is a measure of the average size of red blood cells in the body. It is an important test used to diagnose anemia, as well as other conditions like thalassemia and hereditary spherocytosis. An increase in MCV indicates macrocytic anemia, which is caused by a lack of vitamin B12 and/or folate in the diet. A decrease in MCV indicates microcytic anemia, which is caused by a lack of iron in the diet. The MCV test is also used to monitor the effectiveness of an anemia treatment.