RDW
Abbreviation
RDW
Transport Temp
2-8 C (ice packs) or ambient
Stability
store at 2-8 C up to 24 hours, CBC’s not viable after 24 hours
Minimum Vol
EDTA Draw tube at least half full
Alternative Specimens
None
Reference Ranges
11.5-14.5 %
Collection Instructions
Routine venipuncture
Transport Container
Draw tube
Methodology
RDW is a measure of the heterogeneity of the RBC population. It is derived from the RBC histogram using the 20th and 80th percentiles.
Alternative Names
Red Cell Distribution Width
Preferred Specimen
Plasma, EDTA