Radiology Coding Alert

Answer 1: The correct option is a, I60.00.

The ICD-10 codes for nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from the carotid circulation include I60.00 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from unspecified carotid siphon and bifurcation), I60.01 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from right carotid siphon and bifurcation), and I60.02 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from left carotid siphon and bifurcation).

Answer 2: The correct answer is option b, I60.4.

The code for the basilar artery is I60.4 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from basilar artery).

Answer 3: The correct answer is option b, I60.11.

The codes for the middle cerebral arteries include I60.10 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from unspecified middle cerebral artery), I60.11 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from right middle cerebral artery), I60.12 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from left middle cerebral artery).

Codes for the vertebral arteries are I60.50 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from unspecified vertebral artery), I60.51 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from right vertebral artery), and I60.52 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from left vertebral artery).

Answer 4: The correct answer is option b, I60.31.

The codes I60.21 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from right anterior communicating artery) and I60.22 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from left anterior communicating artery) are for nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from the right and left anterior communicating arteries, respectively.

The codes I60.31 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from right posterior communicating artery) and I60.32 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from left posterior communicating artery) for nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from the right and left posterior communicating arteries, respectively.

Answer 5: The correct answer is option d, I60.7.

You may find that your surgeon may not specify the location of the bleed in the clinical note or the same may be difficult to determine. In this case, you report code I60.7 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from unspecified intracranial artery). If the bleed is from a vessel other than the major vessels then you turn to code I60.6 (Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage from other intracranial arteries).