B44.1

HCC Category Mapping

What This Code Means

A fungal infection of the lungs caused by Aspergillus, a common mold found in the environment that can cause various respiratory problems.

Coding Tips

• •Specify the type of pulmonary aspergillosis if documented (chronic form, acute form, or other variants)
• •Review clinical notes to determine if this is invasive aspergillosis or a non-invasive form, as this affects severity coding

Clinical Significance

Other pulmonary aspergillosis encompasses non-invasive forms including chronic pulmonary aspergillosis and aspergilloma (fungus ball). While less acutely life-threatening than invasive disease, these conditions require ongoing management and surveillance. The code still maps to the high-value opportunistic infections HCC, reflecting the immunocompromised context in which these infections typically occur.

Documentation Requirements

• ✓Imaging findings specific to the form: fungus ball in cavity (aspergilloma), progressive cavitation (chronic)
• ✓Culture or serologic confirmation of Aspergillus species
• ✓Distinction from invasive disease documented (tissue invasion absent)
• ✓Underlying structural lung disease documented (tuberculosis scarring, sarcoidosis, cavitary disease)
• ✓Aspergillus-specific IgG levels if chronic pulmonary aspergillosis

Commonly Confused Codes