Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Question: What's the best diagnosis code for a spinal meninges mass?

Wyoming Subscriber

Answer: Several factors help determine the best code, such as whether you're dealing with soft tissue or bone and whether the mass is benign or unspecified. Options can include:

• For a benign mass, 225.4 (Benign neoplasm of brain and other parts of nervous system; spinal meninges)

• For a mass of uncertain behavior, 237.6 (Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of endocrine glands and nervous system; meninges)

• For a mass of unspecified nature, 239.7 (Neoplasms of unspecified nature; endocrine glands and other parts of nervous system).

Other potential diagnosis codes include those involving bony neoplasms. You need to know the type of pathology, whether it was primary or metastatic, and whether it was benign or malignant in order to select the correct diagnosis.

Best bet: Double check the chart to find the details that will point you in the right direction.