Complete Blood Count (CBC)Reported in g/dLMean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
How concentrated hemoglobin is inside the red cells. Low MCHC means the cells are paler than usual.
What it measures
MCHC is hemoglobin divided by hematocrit. It describes the color of the cells: hypochromic when the concentration is low, normochromic when it is typical. It is a tighter number than MCV, and it moves less.
Why it is on the panel
It helps confirm iron deficiency, where cells are pale as well as small. It also flags the occasional result that is an artifact of how the sample was handled.
How to read it
A low MCHC plus a low MCV is the iron-deficiency pattern. A high MCHC is unusual and can be seen with hereditary spherocytosis or with sample problems such as cold agglutinins. Either way it is a “look again” signal.
When it runs higher
Concentrations above the interval are uncommon. They can reflect spherocytes, which are red cells that have lost membrane, or interference in the measurement. A clinician may ask the lab to review the smear.
When it runs lower
Pale cells show up in iron deficiency and in some other disorders of hemoglobin production. On a screening panel, a modestly low MCHC with a low hemoglobin is a prompt to look at the iron results.
How to use this page
This page explains what the measurement is for. It is educational. Your Healiam report includes the reference interval for your age and sex, and a clinician reads that result with your history, medicines, and the rest of the panel. Talk with a clinician before changing diet, supplements, or treatment because of a number on a report.
MCHC
MCHC is part of the full panel.
No referral or insurance required.
One preventive draw covers this measurement and the rest of the Healiam panel. CLIA-certified results come back in days.