Success! In Clinical Laboratory Science – Hemostasis Practice Test

PDW measures which characteristic of platelets?

Average platelet volume Variation in platelet cell size Capacity to adhere to foreign surfaces Platelet density

Correct Answer:

Variation in platelet cell size

Explanation:

PDW reflects how varied platelet sizes are in a blood sample. It’s the width of the platelet size distribution, so a high PDW means a mix of small and large platelets (greater heterogeneity), while a low PDW means platelets are more uniform in size. This is different from the average size, which is reported as mean platelet volume. The capacity of platelets to adhere to foreign surfaces is a functional property, not a measure of size variation, and platelet density is not what PDW assesses.

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