Reader Questions:
Resolve Your ICD-9 Coding For Liver Metastasis
Published on Thu May 05, 2011
Question:
A patient presents for chemotherapy to treat a secondary liver neoplasm that metastasized from the primary colon neoplasm. How should I report my ICD-9 codes?Nevada Subscriber
Answer:
You should describe your diagnoses by reporting the following codes in this order:
- V58.11 (Encounter for antineoplastic chemotherapy) as primary diagnosis if the primary focus of the encounter is for chemotherapy;
- 197.7 (Secondary malignant neoplasm of respiratory and digestive systems; liver, specified as secondary) for the site being treated (liver metastasis);
- the appropriate 153.x-154.x code to describe your primary cancer regardless of it being treated or not.