C83.50
BillableLymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, unspecified site
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 21 — Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.000What This Code Means
A type of blood cancer affecting immature lymphoid cells (lymphoblasts) that is diffuse in nature, but the specific location of the cancer is not specified.
Coding Tips
Clinical Significance
Lymphoblastic lymphoma is a highly aggressive lymphoma of immature lymphoid precursor cells (lymphoblasts), closely related to acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It typically affects younger patients and requires intensive chemotherapy protocols similar to acute leukemia. The unspecified site code should be used only when documentation fails to identify the involved anatomical region.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology confirmation with immunohistochemistry (TdT+, CD99+)
- ✓Determination of T-cell vs. B-cell lineage (CD3 vs. CD19/CD20)
- ✓Flow cytometry results from involved tissue or peripheral blood
- ✓Bone marrow biopsy to distinguish lymphoma from leukemia (>25% blasts = leukemia)
- ✓CNS evaluation including CSF cytology
Commonly Confused Codes
C91.0- — Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; if bone marrow blasts exceed 25%, classify as leukemia rather than lymphomaC83.30 — Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; mature B-cell lymphoma vs. immature precursor lymphoblastic lymphomaC85.10 — Unspecified non-Hodgkin lymphoma; always use specific subtype when pathology confirms lymphoblastic lymphomaC83.70 — Burkitt lymphoma; another highly aggressive lymphoma but with mature B-cell phenotype
Code Hierarchy
└C83Non-follicular lymphoma└C83.5Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma└C83.50Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, unspecified site
└C83.50Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, unspecified site