C81.98
BillableHodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, lymph nodes of multiple sites
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 21 — Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors
0.545V24HCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.675ESRDHCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.000RxHCCHCC 21 — Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.000What This Code Means
A type of blood cancer called Hodgkin lymphoma affecting lymph nodes in multiple different locations throughout the body.
Coding Tips
- •Use this code only when lymph nodes in two or more distinct regions are involved
- •Document which specific lymph node regions are affected to support medical necessity
Clinical Significance
Hodgkin lymphoma of unspecified type affecting multiple lymph node sites indicates widespread disease without histologic subtype information. Multi-site involvement typically indicates advanced staging requiring systemic chemotherapy. The lack of subtype information should prompt pathology review, as the histologic subtype influences treatment regimen selection and prognostic counseling.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Confirmed Hodgkin lymphoma with involvement of at least two distinct nodal regions
- ✓Imaging or physical exam documenting the involved regions
- ✓Ann Arbor staging reflecting multi-site disease
- ✓Plan to obtain histologic subtype from pathology review
- ✓Treatment plan and encounter assessment
Commonly Confused Codes
C81.91-C81.96 — Unspecified Hodgkin lymphoma, single-site codes: use these when only one region is involvedC81.99 — Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, extranodal: C81.98 is for multiple nodal sites; C81.99 is for organ involvementC81.78 — Other Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple sites: use when pathology classifies the subtype as 'other'
Code Hierarchy
└C81Hodgkin lymphoma└C81.9Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified└C81.98Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, lymph nodes of multiple sites
└C81.98Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, lymph nodes of multiple sites