Which set of red blood cell indices suggests spherocytosis?

Spherocytosis is characterized by the presence of spherocytes, which are red blood cells that are more spherical than the typical biconcave disk shape. This change in shape affects the red blood cell indices, particularly the mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC).

In cases of spherocytosis, the MCHC tends to be elevated due to the higher concentration of hemoglobin within a smaller volume compared to normal red blood cells. This elevation is indicative of the increased packing of hemoglobin within the spherocytes. The correct choice reflects an increased MCHC of 39.0%, which is consistent with the expected findings in spherocytosis.

Additionally, while the MCV can vary and might not always be significantly reduced, the combination of a normal or slightly reduced MCV with a high MCHC can suggest the presence of spherocytes in the blood. The selected set of indices matches these characteristics, aligning well with the pathophysiology of spherocytosis.

The other provided sets of indices do not display the characteristic MCHC elevation associated with spherocytosis or do not show