Which term describes increased variation in red blood cell sizes?

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Multiple Choice

Which term describes increased variation in red blood cell sizes?

Explanation:
Anisocytosis is the variation in red blood cell size. When RBCs differ in size, some are larger (macrocytes) and some are smaller (microcytes), giving a broad distribution of cell volumes and a higher red cell distribution width (RDW) on a CBC. This concept is distinct from macrocytosis, which means the cells are mostly large, or microcytosis, where they are mostly small, and from poikilocytosis, which refers to variation in cell shape rather than size. Anisocytosis is commonly seen in iron deficiency, certain anemias with mixed deficiencies, or during recovery from blood loss, and it’s quantified by RDW to reflect the degree of size variation.

Anisocytosis is the variation in red blood cell size. When RBCs differ in size, some are larger (macrocytes) and some are smaller (microcytes), giving a broad distribution of cell volumes and a higher red cell distribution width (RDW) on a CBC. This concept is distinct from macrocytosis, which means the cells are mostly large, or microcytosis, where they are mostly small, and from poikilocytosis, which refers to variation in cell shape rather than size. Anisocytosis is commonly seen in iron deficiency, certain anemias with mixed deficiencies, or during recovery from blood loss, and it’s quantified by RDW to reflect the degree of size variation.

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