C82.31

Billable

Follicular lymphoma grade IIIa, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck

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 blood cancer (follicular lymphoma grade IIIa) affecting lymph nodes in the head, face, and neck area. Grade IIIa is a more aggressive form of this cancer.

Coding Tips

•Verify the specific anatomical location (head, face, or neck) is documented
•Distinguish from other head and neck lymphomas by confirming follicular type and grade IIIa

Clinical Significance

Follicular lymphoma grade IIIa of head, face, and neck lymph nodes combines a specific high-grade subtype with the most accessible nodal location for diagnosis. Grade IIIa retains centrocytes among the centroblasts, distinguishing it from IIIb. Cervical or supraclavicular presentation allows straightforward monitoring for treatment response or disease progression.

Documentation Requirements

✓Pathology report specifying grade IIIa (centroblasts >15/HPF with centrocytes present)
✓Specific head, face, or neck lymph node sites involved
✓Ann Arbor staging
✓Treatment approach (varies between indolent and aggressive depending on clinical factors)
✓Baseline measurements for response assessment

Commonly Confused Codes

C82.21 — Grade III unspecified, head/face/neck; use C82.31 when pathology specifies IIIa C82.41 — Grade IIIb, head/face/neck; IIIb lacks centrocytes C82.11 — Grade II, head/face/neck; lower grade designation C83.31 — Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; different entity if transformation occurs

Code Hierarchy

└C82Follicular lymphoma └C82.3Follicular lymphoma grade IIIa └C82.31Follicular lymphoma grade IIIa, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck

└C82.31Follicular lymphoma grade IIIa, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck