Reticulocyte hemoglobin content

•Reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) reflects real-time hemoglobin (Hb) synthesis.•CHr is affected only by the amount of iron intake since Hb in reticulocytes is directly measured.•CHr is highly precise test with low coefficient of variation.•CHr shows a higher diagnostic power for iron deficiency compared with conventional iron indices.•CHr responds sensitively to iron replacement therapy from an early stage.