C72.41
BillableMalignant neoplasm of right acoustic nerve
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 20 — Lung and Other Severe Cancers
0.000V24HCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.675ESRDHCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.000RxHCCHCC 22 — Cancer, Other Specified Sites
0.000What This Code Means
A malignant (cancerous) tumor of the right acoustic nerve, which is involved in hearing and balance on the right side.
Coding Tips
- •This code specifies the right side; use C72.42 for left side and verify laterality in documentation
- •Acoustic nerve tumors may present with hearing loss or balance problems; document affected side clearly
Clinical Significance
Malignant neoplasm of the right acoustic nerve is a rare malignancy of cranial nerve VIII on the right side. Unlike the far more common benign vestibular schwannoma, a malignant acoustic nerve tumor carries a worse prognosis and typically requires aggressive multimodal treatment. Accurate distinction between benign and malignant is essential for appropriate risk adjustment.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology report explicitly confirming malignancy of the right acoustic nerve
- ✓Documentation of right-sided involvement on imaging
- ✓Audiometric and vestibular function testing results for the right ear
- ✓Tumor size, extent, and relationship to adjacent structures (facial nerve, brainstem)
- ✓Treatment plan and current management status
Commonly Confused Codes
C72.42 — Malignant neoplasm of left acoustic nerve: Laterality error; verify right sideD33.3 — Benign neoplasm of cranial nerves: Benign vestibular schwannoma is far more common; verify malignancyC72.40 — Unspecified acoustic nerve: Use C72.41 when right side is documentedC71.6 — Malignant neoplasm of cerebellum: Cerebellopontine angle tumors may involve but do not originate from the acoustic nerve
Code Hierarchy
└C72Malignant neoplasm of spinal cord, cranial nerves and other parts of central nervous system└C72.4Malignant neoplasm of acoustic nerve└C72.41Malignant neoplasm of right acoustic nerve
└C72.41Malignant neoplasm of right acoustic nerve