Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Discover what to do when your physician doesn’t document the site.

Are you an expert at reporting brain tumor ICD-10-CM codes? Find out by checking your answers below:

Answer 1: The correct option is c.) C71.3

When reporting a neoplasm in the brain, location is the key. ICD-10-CM provides specific codes for tumors in different lobes of the brain. 

This means you should check out codes C71.1 (Malignant neoplasm of frontal lobe), C71.2 (Malignant neoplasm of temporal lobe), C71.3 (Malignant neoplasm of parietal lobe), and C71.4 (Malignant neoplasm of occipital lobe). 

Important: You will also need to check for tumors in other sites. When you report a cerebral tumor in a location other than the lobes or ventricles, i.e. tumors in structures like the basal ganglia, cerebral cortex, corpus striatum, globus pallidus, hypothalamus, and thalamus, you should report C71.0 (Malignant neoplasm of cerebrum, except lobes and ventricles). This diagnosis code lists only malignant neoplasm of supratentorial NOS. Supratentorial refers to the area of the brain above the tentorium cerebelli, a membrane layer that separates the cerebrum form the cerebellum.

Answer 2: The correct option is b.) C71.6

When reporting a tumor in the cerebellum, you should report C71.6 (Malignant neoplasm of cerebellum).

Tip: For a brainstem tumor, you should report C71.7 (Malignant neoplasm of brain stem). 

Documentation: These diagnosis codes are location specific. Your oncologist should specify that the tumor is a primary tumor. This will support and simplify the choice of a specific code.

Answer 3: The correct option is a.) C71.9

When your physician does not specify the site of the brain tumor, you should report C71.9 (Malignant neoplasm of brain, unspecified).

Answer 4: The correct option is b.) C71.8

You must be specific for ‘overlapping’ sites in ICD-10-CM. You should report ICD-10-CM code C71.8 (Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of brain), says Marcheri Williams, Wellness Ambassador at Rite Aid in Liverpool, New York.

Answer 5: The correct option is d.) Ventricle 4

When reporting a tumor located in the ventricle(s), you should turn to C71.5 (Malignant neoplasm of cerebral ventricle) for the lateral and third ventricles and code C71.7 (Malignant neoplasm of brain stem) for the brain stem. There is a note under ICD-10-CM code C71.7 indicating it is also to be used for a “malignant neoplasm of the fourth cerebral ventricle.”