Urology Coding Alert

Question: What is the best diagnosis for "pelvic calcifications" on radiology scans? The radiologist almost always documents, "which are most likely phleboliths," but I'm not sure how that affects my coding.

Wyoming Subscriber

Answer: If your physician documented the calcifications on the pelvic bone, you could use diagnosis M85.88 (Other specified disorders of bone density and structure, other site). Otherwise, you might use I87.8 (Other specified disorders of veins) if it's a calcification within a vein.

Definition 1: Calcification is the accumulation of calcium salts in a body tissue. It normally occurs in the formation of bone, but calcium can be deposited abnormally in soft tissue, causing it to harden. Calcifications may be classified on whether there is mineral balance or not, and the location of the calcification. Calcification may also refer to the processes of normal mineral deposition in biological systems, such as the formation of stromatolites or mollusc shells.

Definition 2: A phlebolith is a small local, usually rounded, calcification within a vein. These are very common in the veins of the lower part of the pelvis, and they are generally of no clinical importance. When located in the pelvis they are sometimes difficult to differentiate from stones in the ureters on X-ray.