G31.01
BillablePick's disease
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 127 — Dementia, Mild or Unspecified
0.464RxHCCHCC 112 — Dementia and Other Specified Brain Disorders
0.000What This Code Means
Pick's disease is a rare type of dementia that primarily affects the front and side portions of the brain, causing progressive changes in personality and behavior.
Coding Tips
- •Pick's disease is a specific frontotemporal dementia; ensure documentation clearly distinguishes it from other frontotemporal dementias
- •This is a more specific code than G31.09, so use it when Pick's disease is explicitly documented
Clinical Significance
Pick's disease is a specific type of frontotemporal dementia characterized by Pick bodies (abnormal tau protein accumulations) in the brain. It causes progressive personality changes, behavioral disturbances, and language deterioration, typically presenting differently from Alzheimer's disease. Early and accurate capture is essential as these patients require specialized behavioral management and caregiver support.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Documentation specifically stating Pick's disease or frontotemporal dementia with Pick bodies
- ✓Neuroimaging showing frontal and/or temporal lobe atrophy
- ✓Clinical description of behavioral/personality changes or language decline
- ✓Neuropsychological testing results differentiating from Alzheimer's disease
- ✓Neuropathological confirmation if available (biopsy or autopsy findings)
- ✓Current behavioral management plan and caregiver support documentation
Commonly Confused Codes
G31.09 — Other frontotemporal neurocognitive disorder; use for frontotemporal dementias that are NOT Pick's diseaseG30.0/G30.1/G30.9 — Alzheimer's disease codes; different pathology with primarily memory loss rather than behavioral changesG31.83 — Neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies; has parkinsonism and visual hallucinationsF03.90 — Unspecified dementia; too vague when Pick's disease has been specifically diagnosed