Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Question: I cannot find a code for leukemic meningitis in the Alphabetic Index for ICD-10-CM. How should I code this condition?

Virginia Subscriber

Answer: Leukemic meningitis is “a metastatic infiltration of the cerebral meninges, and is classified as a secondary malignancy, not as an infectious meningitis, … in which cancer cells have spread from the primary site to the meninges of the brain and spinal cord,” according to AHA ICD-10-CM Coding Clinic, Vol. 7, No. 1 (2020).

This explains why the Coding Clinic article goes on to tell you that C79.32 (Secondary malignant neoplasm of cerebral meninges) is the most appropriate code to use to document the condition.

Look for these synonyms: Your provider may also refer to leukemic meningitis as leukemic leptomeningitis or meningeal leukemia in their notes.