Macrocytic anemia

The term macrocytic is from Greek words meaning "large cell". A macrocytic class of anemia is an anemia (defined as blood with an insufficient concentration of hemoglobin) in which the red blood cells (erythrocytes) are larger than their normal volume. The normal erythrocyte volume in humans is about 80 to 100 femtoliters (fL= 10 L). In metric terms the size is given in equivalent cubic micrometers (1 μm = 1 fL). The condition of having erythrocytes which (on average) are too large, is called macrocytosis. In contrast, in microcytic anemia, the erythrocytes are smaller than normal.