Transient high serum prostate-specific acid phosphatase measured by radioimmunoassay in prostatic infarction

Extremely high concentration, 172-hold the upper limit of reference range, of serum prostate-specific acid phosphatase was measured by radioimmunoassay in a patient subsequently shown to have prostatic infarction associated with prostatic hyperplasia. Following retropubic prostatectomy, the serum concentration of acid phosphatase returned to normal range. This finding shows that even grossly elevated levels of prostatic acid phosphatase enzyme protein in serum are not specific for prostatic carcinoma.