MPV Blood Test
Reviewed
An MPV blood test measures the average size of your platelets, which are small blood cells that help form clots to stop bleeding. The test provides information about how well your platelets are working and can help diagnose or monitor bleeding disorders, bone marrow diseases, and other health conditions. It is often done as part of a complete blood count (CBC).
Preparation and collection
You don't need any special preparations for an MPV blood test. If your provider has ordered more tests on your blood sample, you may need to fast (not eat or drink) for several hours before the test. Your provider will let you know if there are any special instructions.
Understanding this test
Use the reference interval and units printed by the laboratory that performed the test. A result outside that interval is not a diagnosis by itself, and a result inside it does not rule out every condition. Your symptoms, history, medicines, timing, and related tests can change what the result means.
- An MPV test alone cannot diagnose a health condition; it must be interpreted with platelet counts and other test results.
- Many factors can affect MPV results, including age, sex, race, ethnicity, lifestyle (diet, smoking, drinking alcohol, physical activity), and genes.
- The test provides only the average size of platelets and does not directly measure platelet function or count.
What to do next
To learn what your results mean, talk with your provider. Your provider will use your MPV results, platelet counts, and other test results to get a more complete picture of your health.