C81.10

Billable

Nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified site

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 21 — Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors

0.545

V24HCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.675

ESRDHCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.000

RxHCCHCC 21 — Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.000

What This Code Means

A type of Hodgkin lymphoma with nodular sclerosis pattern (the most common type) when the specific site of involvement is not specified or documented.

Coding Tips

•Use this code only when the site of involvement is truly unspecified or unknown
•If site information becomes available, assign a more specific code (C81.11-C81.19)

Clinical Significance

Nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma at an unspecified site represents the most common subtype of classic Hodgkin lymphoma, accounting for approximately 70% of all Hodgkin lymphoma cases. It is characterized by lacunar Reed-Sternberg cell variants surrounded by collagen bands (sclerosis). This subtype has a strong predilection for young adults and frequently presents with mediastinal involvement. With modern treatment, cure rates exceed 80-90%.

Documentation Requirements

✓Pathology report confirming nodular sclerosis subtype with Reed-Sternberg cells
✓Immunohistochemistry (CD15+, CD30+ typical of classic Hodgkin lymphoma)
✓Staging workup (PET/CT, bone marrow biopsy)
✓Query provider for the specific lymph node site to enable a more specific code (C81.11-C81.19)
✓B-symptoms status (fever, night sweats, unintentional weight loss greater than 10% in 6 months)
✓Treatment plan (ABVD, escalated BEACOPP, or other regimen)

Commonly Confused Codes

C81.00 — Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma: Different subtype with different immunophenotype (CD20+ vs CD30+)C81.11-C81.19 — Site-specific nodular sclerosis codes: Use these when the lymph node location is documented C81.20 — Mixed cellularity Hodgkin lymphoma: Different histologic subtype requiring pathology distinction C85.10 — Unspecified B-cell lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma has specific codes and should never be coded as unspecified B-cell lymphoma

Code Hierarchy

└C81Hodgkin lymphoma └C81.1Nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma └C81.10Nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified site

└C81.10Nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified site