The aim of the study was to evaluate the osteoporotic fracture risk in 
premenopausal women with hyperprolactinemia due to prolactinoma. Bone mineral 
density (BMD) was measured in 20 white, premenopausal women with prolactinoma 
and in 60 healthy control white women, using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) at 
the os calcis, with an Achilles Lunar Plus device. We measured all three 
parameters of QUS: broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), speed of sound (SOS) 
and stiffness. BMD results were expressed also as T- and Z-scores. Age and body 
mass index (BMI) were not statistically significantly different between the two 
groups. Comparative analysis showed reduced values of QUS parameters in women 
with prolactinoma versus controls. Only the difference in SOS parameter was 
statistically significant between the two studied groups (p = 0.0001). The 
Z-score was significant lower in women with prolactinoma than in healthy women. 
These data reveal a significant bone loss in women with prolactinoma compared to 
controls. The SOS parameter showed a good negative correlation with age, and all 
the QUS parameters were positively correlated with BMI. The relative risk for 
developing osteoporosis in women with prolactinoma was found to be 4.5, 
indicating that hyperprolactinemia in women is a major risk factor for 
osteoporosis.