What Is RDW on a Blood Test? (2)

Normal Reference Range for RDW Blood Test
      Normal RDW values are between 11 and 14 percent, with an optimum RDW value range of 13 percent. When RDW values rise above normal levels, several disorders become suspect. According to the Archives of Internal Medicine, RDW counts may also play an important role in predicting mortality, especially in patients who have cardiovascular disease and cancer. In fact, patients who test higher than the normal reference range on an RDW test may suffer more health risks than those patients whose RDW values are lower.


      Anisocytosis
      Anisocytosis is diagnosed when the RDW levels in a blood test indicate excessively high values of variably shaped red blood cells. In the book "Diagnostic Hematology," author Norman Beck explains that the presence of anisocytosis in a diagnostic blood test is so common that it is often dismissed as a component while making a diagnosis. But, breakthroughs in medicine have shed new light on the importance of anisocytosis during patient evaluation. When anisocytosis is measured against other blood cell values, the high RBC values can help make a better determination of the type of anemia present in a patient.


      Consult Your Health Care Provider
      Blood tests(hematology analyzer machine) and their results are a piece of the overall diagnostic picture and are not meant to be the sole tool used for diagnosis or prognosis of illness. Consulting with your health care provider for a full physical as well as an assessment of symptoms is the best method of understanding your blood test results.