A tabletop- or bench-mounted mains electricity (AC-powered) device used mainly in the clinical laboratory to process through high-speed centrifugal force (typically 10,000 to 25,000 rpm) specimens of whole blood to determine the ratio of the red cell volume to the whole blood volume expressed as a decimal, fraction, or percentage. The device typically generates a relative centrifugal force (RCF) of at least 10,000 x g to efficiently pack cells in a short time (i.e., 3 to 5 minutes) and requires a smaller sample size than low-speed conventional centrifuges (macrohaematocrit method). The haematocrit is typically used to diagnose blood loss and erythrocyte count above or below normal.
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