How RDW appears on your report
Look for Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW). The result is normally shown in %, next to the reference interval used by the laboratory that ran the test.
Note the collection date before you compare it with anything, along with the context that matters for this marker: iron, vitamin B12 and folate status, recent treatment and the mix of older and newer red cells can affect it.
RDW range in Australia
Vector tracks RDW against an optimal range of 11.5–14.0 %. Australia has no nationally harmonised reference interval for this marker, so the interval printed on your report varies with the laboratory and the assay it used.
Vector’s optimal range is the band the app tracks against and the one printed in the doctor report. Why the two differ.
What to read alongside RDW
A single marker rarely explains itself. These results are commonly interpreted together with RDW, and Vector keeps them within reach of each other as your record grows.
Tracking RDW over time
One RDW result is a single point. Import the report into Vector, check the extracted value, unit and collection date, and it becomes the start of a series instead — with each later report adding a dated point you can actually compare against.
Further reading
RDW is read the same way every other result on the report is. These two guides cover that method rather than this marker:
- How to read an Australian pathology report — A practical guide to dates, units, reference intervals and the context that belongs beside an Australian pathology result.
- Pathology report reference ranges: what they mean — Understand the laboratory interval, Australian guidance and the product context Vector adds to a result over time.
Common questions
What is a normal RDW range in Australia?
Australia has no nationally harmonised reference interval for RDW, so the range printed on your report varies with the laboratory and the assay it used — always read your result against the interval beside it. Vector tracks RDW against an optimal range of 11.5–14.0 %, which is deliberately tighter than a population reference interval.
What is the optimal RDW level?
Vector treats 11.5–14.0 % as the optimal range for RDW. An optimal range is a target the app tracks against, not a clinical threshold, and it can differ from the interval your laboratory prints.
What unit is RDW reported in on Australian pathology reports?
RDW is usually reported in % on Australian pathology reports. The performing laboratory prints a reference interval in the same unit beside the result, and that interval is the one that governs your individual result.
What can change your RDW result?
Iron, vitamin B12 and folate status, recent treatment and the mix of older and newer red cells can affect it.
Sources
- RCPA Manual: Red cell distribution widthAustralian pathology reference for this test and related result context.
- Healthdirect: full blood countGeneral explanation of the full blood count and reasons for follow-up.
- Levine et al. (2018), PhenoAgePublished foundation for a research biological age model; Vector adapts the blood biomarker layer for the units printed on Australian pathology reports within a broader longitudinal model.
Published 2 August 2026 · Updated 3 August 2026 · Author Vector