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Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

ICD-10:

Learn D25 Vocabulary to Broaden Uterine Fibroid Dx

Published on Tue Jul 15, 2014

Look for a direct crosswalk with more specific descriptions.

You won’t have big changes to get used to when reporting uterine leiomyomas once the ICD-10 code set goes into effect. The new compliance date is expected to be Oct. 1, 2015.
 
But subtle language changes can help fine-tune your code selection under ICD-10. Take a look at the ICD-9 codes with their ICD-10 crosswalks.
  • 218.0 (Submucous leiomyoma of uterus) crosswalks to D25.0 (Submucous leiomyoma of uterus)
  • 218.1 (Intramural leiomyoma of uterus) crosswalks to D25.1 (Intramural leiomyoma of uterus or Interstitial leiomyoma of uterus)
  • 218.2 (Subserous leiomyoma of uterus) crosswalks to D25.2 (Subserosal leiomyoma of uterus or Subperitoneal leiomyoma of uterus)
  • 218.9 (Leiomyoma of uterus, unspecified) crosswalks to D25.9 (Leiomyoma of uterus, unspecified).
Focus on Location
 
Classification of fibroid tumors, also called leiomyomas, depends on where the growth originates. The three main locations parallel the diagnosis codes, as follows:
  • Submucous fibroids originate in the muscle layer just below the endometrium and grow toward the uterine cavity. These can form a stalk, or peduncle, and grow into the uterine space, called an intracavitary fibroid. 
  • Intramural fibroids grow inside the uterine wall, or myometrium. These tumors are also called interstitial fibroids, meaning that they grow within the wall itself.
  • Subserous fibroids grow outward from the uterine wall toward the abdominal cavity. But they originate underneath the mucosal (peritoneal) surface, which is why they’re also called subperitoneal fibroids.
Notice: ICD-10 fibroid codes describe the same three conditions as ICD-9, but the ICD-10 definitions contain broader terminology, which should make it easier for you to select the best code.

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