# Pet Scan Dx



## Kimberley (Aug 19, 2008)

INDICATION:  DX TONGUE CA

IMPRESSION:  No evidence of malignancy with no interval change.


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## 007CPC (Aug 19, 2008)

239.0


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## Kimberley (Aug 19, 2008)

just curios why not 141.9.....when the indication states TONGUE CANCER?


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## 007CPC (Aug 19, 2008)

You can code 141.9 depending on the methodology you are coding. The reason why I picked 239.0 is because the dictation doesn't include the terms primary with malignancy.


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## geugene (Aug 19, 2008)

I would use 239.0, morphology nor was behavior stated. This is also why I would not choose 141.9.


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## dmaec (Aug 19, 2008)

Hi Kimberley - 
I'm curious there was a dx of tongue cancer at all?  Was this already diagnosed and being re-treated, only to find (thankfully) that there wasn't any evidence of malignancy this time?
I can only assume that the patient already had tongue cancer because how else could the provider put it down as a dx if they didn't already know?  
I'd use the 141.9  UNLESS for some odd reason the provider wrote tongue cancer down when the patient never had it, and now for certain doesn't have it.
to be certain though, one would have to see the whole physician note...
_{that's my opinion on the posted matter}_


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## 007CPC (Aug 19, 2008)

dmaec said:


> Hi Kimberley -
> I'm curious there was a dx of tongue cancer at all?  Was this already diagnosed and being re-treated, only to find (thankfully) that there wasn't any evidence of malignancy this time?
> I can only assume that the patient already had tongue cancer because how else could the provider put it down as a dx if they didn't already know?
> I'd use the 141.9  UNLESS for some odd reason the provider wrote tongue cancer down when the patient never had it, and now for certain doesn't have it.
> ...




This is correct


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## Kimberley (Aug 20, 2008)

I code for radiology (IDTF) and the only informationt that I have to go by is what is on the order and what is dictated in the report.....so with that said should I still use tongue CA as the diagnosis?


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## 007CPC (Aug 20, 2008)

Code tongue cancer. After dmaec post, the coding scenario is transparent. The case is documented as if the patient is convalescence; besides the fact that the physician provided a clinical indication of tongue cancer, which should suffice, for 141.9.
More than likely the patient is undergoing further clinical evaluation and monitoring.


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## Kimberley (Aug 20, 2008)

Thanks all


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