Body structure NOS, diagnostic imaging, abnormal
| ICD10 Diagnosis | |
| Dx: | Body structure NOS, diagnostic imaging, abnormal |
| ICD10 code: | R93.8 |
| Pre-ICD10 counterpart: | none assigned |
| Charlson/ALERT Scale: | none |
| APACHE Como Component: | none |
| APACHE Acute Component: | none |
| Start Date: | |
| Stop Date: | |
| External ICD10 Documentation | |
This diagnosis is a part of ICD10 collection.
Additional Info
- This is the ultimate/final NOS code for abnormal diagnostic imaging. There are numerous other, more specific codes that relate to: "this or that,diagnostic imaging, abnormal". So use this code if you have some abnormal diagnostic imaging but none of the more specific of those codes fits.
Abnormal test
- This code identifies an abnormal test result, not a disorder.
- The preference is to code the cause of the abnormal test, if known.
- also coding this abnormal test, along with the cause is optional however, it is not necessary.
- When the DX is not known, code likely related other tests and signs and symptoms as Combined ICD10 codes; some likely ones might be listed in #Candidate Combined ICD10 codes.
Symptom/Sign/Test Result not needed when cause known
- This code identifies a symptom or a sign, or an abnormal test result, not a disorder.
- So, you should code the cause of the symptom/sign/abnormal test, if known -- and if you do so, then also coding and combining the symptom/sign/abnormal test result to that cause is generally optional, but is guided by the following guidelines.
- Here are guidelines for whether or not to ALSO code the symptom/sign/abnormal test when you DO code the underlying cause:
- If it is a subjective symptom (e.g. pain) then coding it is optional
- When it is a physical exam finding (e.g. abdominal tenderness) then coding it is generally optional
- An exception is when the symptom/sign/abnormal testis so severe that all by itself it mandates hospitalization and/or a procedure -- a good example is a patient who has Wegener's granulomatosis is admitted due with Hemoptysis. Since hemoptysis is a physical finding that fits this description of "severe" it should be coded, and combined with Wegener's.
- When it is an abnormal laboratory finding which in and of itself has relevance (e.g. hyperkalemia, hypoalbuminemia) then USUALLY code it
- You don't need to code the abnormal lab finding is when it is actually a major component of the underlying cause --- example is when a person presents with an acute MI, there is no need to code the abnormal troponin as Abnormal blood chemistry NOS
- The trickiest of these guidelines is for abnormal radiologic tests
- When the abnormal test is fully explained by the underlying diagnosis/diagnoses (e.g. pneumonia as cause of abnormal chest imaging, or a skull fracture with an intracranial hemorrhage both identified by an abnormal head CT) then coding the abnormal imaging result is optional
- But remember there are some rare things for which the abnormal imaging result IS part of coding the entity, for example we code retroperitoneal hemorrhage by the combination of Hemorrhage, NOS and Retroperitoneal area, diagnostic imaging, abnormal
- Sometimes there may be multiple symptom/sign/test result that might or might NOT be related to each other by virtue of having the same underlying cause. Since in the absence of KNOWING that cause, such assumptions may well be incorrect, do NOT combine them together if you are not certain they actually have the same underlying cause.
Repeated events
If this happens repeatedly during the same ward or unit stay, only code it the first time it happens, regardless of whether it is an Admit Diagnosis or Acquired Diagnosis, rather than each time it happens. See ICD10 codes only coded the first time for other diagnoses coded this way.
| Example: |
Alternate ICD10s to consider coding instead or in addition
| Imaging codes: |
Candidate Combined ICD10 codes
Related CCI Codes
Guideline about Coding CCI vs ICD10 imaging codes
- There are a set of "imaging codes" in ICD10, but these are not to code that an imaging test was performed, but to code that a result was abnormal --- and like all the ICD10 codes for abnormal symptoms or signs or test results, they are mainly to be used when the actual diagnosis CAUSING the abnormal findings is not known.
ICD10 Imaging diagnoses and other diagnoses that require imaging should be coded together with corresponding Imaging Pxs, where we have a code for them. Coding both is not redundant because the ICD10 will only be coded for abnormal results, and we don't have CCI coding options for every kind of imaging. Coding both as appropriate will cover all the ways we are interested in this data.
Related CCI Codes
Data Integrity Checks (automatic list)
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