Wallach's Interpretation of Diagnostic Tests: Pathways to Arriving at a Clinical Diagnosis (1165 page)

   Females >50 years (postmenopausal): 2.74–19.64 μg/L

   Use

   Aiding in evaluation of pituitary tumors, amenorrhea, galactorrhea, infertility, and hypogonadism

   Monitoring therapy of prolactin-producing tumors

   Interpretation

Increased In

   Amenorrhea/galactorrhea

   10–25% of women with galactorrhea and normal menses

   10–15% of women with amenorrhea without galactorrhea

   75% of women with both galactorrhea and amenorrhea/oligomenorrhea

   Cause of 15–30% of cases of amenorrhea in young women

   Pituitary lesions (e.g., prolactinoma, section of pituitary stalk, empty sella syndrome, 20–40% of patients with acromegaly, ≤80% of patients with chromophobe adenomas); concentrations are usually >200 ng/mL.

   Hypothalamic lesions (e.g., sarcoidosis, eosinophilic granuloma, histiocytosis X, TB, glioma, craniopharyngioma); concentrations are usually >200 ng/mL.

   Other endocrine diseases: