Criteria
Serum prolactin level and prolactinoma size
Although a prolactinoma may be associated with any level of serum prolactin, usually the prolactin concentration reflects the size of the prolactinoma.[11] A prolactin level greater than 250 micrograms/L (5000 mIU/L) usually indicates the presence of a prolactinoma; however, some medications (e.g., risperidone, metoclopramide) also elevate prolactin levels.[11] A prolactin level greater than 500 micrograms/L (10,000 mIU/L) is almost certainly a macroprolactinoma.[11] In a patient with a serum prolactin <100 micrograms/L (<2000 mIU/L) and a macroadenoma (pituitary adenoma >10 mm) on pituitary imaging, the diagnosis is likely to be a nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma causing disconnection hyperprolactinemia (pituitary stalk compression).[11]
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