Packed Cell Volume (PCV) Test in Kathmandu
Same Day turnaround at Peoples Diagnostics Laboratory & Clinic, Sanobharang. Walk in 7AM–8PM, or pre-book via WhatsApp.
About this test
Packed Cell Volume tells your doctor what proportion of your blood is made up of red cells rather than the watery plasma that carries them. After a small sample is spun in a centrifuge — or measured automatically by the analyser — the column of settled red cells is expressed as a percentage of the whole; in a healthy adult this is roughly 40–50% in men and 36–46% in women, a little lower in children and during pregnancy. A reading below normal points towards anaemia, which in Nepal most often stems from iron deficiency, poor dietary intake among vegetarian populations, hookworm and other intestinal parasites, chronic blood loss from heavy periods or piles, or long-standing illness. A reading above normal can reflect simple dehydration after diarrhoea or fever, but may also signal the body making extra red cells in response to chronic lung disease, smoking, sleep apnoea, or life at high altitude — a relevant consideration for people from Nepal's hill and mountain districts. Doctors order PCV when you complain of tiredness, breathlessness, dizziness, pallor or palpitations, before surgery and during pregnancy, and to monitor patients on dialysis or cancer treatment. The result rarely stands alone: it is read together with haemoglobin and red-cell indices (MCV, MCH) from the same blood count to judge whether anaemia is mild or severe and to point towards its cause. Because it is quick, inexpensive and uses the same EDTA tube as a full blood count, PCV remains one of the most practical day-to-day measures of the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity.
Sample type
Whole blood (EDTA)
Preparation
No fasting required. Drink water normally before the sample is collected, as being dehydrated can falsely raise the result.
Turnaround time
Reports for Packed Cell Volume (PCV) are typically ready within: Same Day. Reports can be collected at the clinic during opening hours or shared via WhatsApp once they are ready.
Also known as
Other hematology tests we run
These are routinely ordered alongside Packed Cell Volume (PCV) or as part of the same diagnostic workup.
How to book
WhatsApp is the fastest way — message us with the test name and your preferred time, and we'll confirm a slot the same day. You can also walk into the clinic at Rumba Chowk, Sanobharang any day between 7AM and 8PM, or fill in our online booking form.
Not sure if this is the right test?
Send us a WhatsApp message describing your symptoms or your doctor's recommendation — we'll confirm which test fits best.