Clinical-laboratory correlations are the most important part of everyday practice in the era of modern clinical medicine. It is based on the successful functioning of the patient-physician (clinician)-laboratory triangle. Laboratory or other diagnostic tests do not define specific clinical entity or disease; however, they are very useful to make decision related to complicated diagnostic procedures and therapies. Each clinical diagnostic process begins with medical history and physical examination where the doctor uses professional and communication skills. This is followed by setting of the working diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Finally, laboratory tests should help in successful diagnosis and treatment. Daily communication between clinicians and laboratory professionals is very important, and teamwork guidelines are based on modern technological achievements, which is the main postulate for effective diagnostic procedures and treatment. Translational medicine has been developed rapidly in the past ten years, representing a two-way communication between basic science and clinical practice. Discovery of biomarkers and different new molecular pathways in the pathogenesis of disease has enabled early detection of disease when it could not be detected by other standard diagnostic methods. This should lead to more successful diagnosis and treatment.U modernoj medicini kliničko laboratorijske korelacije dio su svakodnevne prakse i temelje se na uspješnom funkcioniranju trokuta bolesnik–liječnik– laboratorij. Laboratorijsko-dijagnostičke pretrage ne definiraju pojedini klinički entitet, ali pomažu kliničaru u donošenju daljnjih složenijih dijagnostičkih procedura i terapijskih odluka. Svaki kliničko-dijagnostički proces započinje anamnezom i fizikalnim pregledom gdje se liječnik koristi stručnim i komunikacijskim vještinama. Nakon stvaranja radne dijagnoze i diferencijalnih dijagnoza odabiru se laboratorijske pretrage koje trebaju pomoći u što bržem i uspješnijem dijagnosticiranju bolesnikovog problema – bolesti. Svakodnevna komunikacija kliničara i laboratorijskih stručnjaka, donošenje smjernica timskim radom utemeljenih na suvremenim tehnološkim dostignućima preduvjet su uspješnog dijagnostičkog procesa i liječenja. Translacijska medicina se razvija zadnjih desetak godina i predstavlja dvosmjernu komunikaciju između bazičnih znanosti i kliničkih struka. Otkriće biomarkera i molekularnih puteva u nastanku bolesti omogućava ranije otkrivanje bolesti kada se ne može otkriti standardnim metodama. To bi trebalo pripomoći u uspješnijem dijagnosticiranju bolesti i liječenju oboljelih
