I63.30
BillableCerebral infarction due to thrombosis of unspecified cerebral artery
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 249 — Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke
0.289V24HCC 100 — Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke
0.262ESRDHCC 100 — Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke
0.000What This Code Means
A stroke caused by a blood clot in a cerebral artery within the brain when the specific artery is not identified.
Coding Tips
- •This is an unspecified code; use only when the exact cerebral artery cannot be determined from documentation
- •Review imaging reports to identify the specific artery involved for more precise coding
Clinical Significance
Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of an unspecified cerebral artery represents an ischemic stroke caused by an in situ blood clot in an intracranial artery, but the specific cerebral artery is not identified. Unlike precerebral artery codes, this involves arteries within the brain itself (anterior cerebral, middle cerebral, posterior cerebral, etc.). This is a significant acute diagnosis for risk adjustment reflecting high-acuity neurological care.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Imaging confirmation of acute cerebral infarction (CT or MRI)
- ✓Documentation of thrombosis as the stroke mechanism
- ✓Documentation explaining why the specific cerebral artery could not be determined
- ✓Neurological examination including National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale
- ✓Vascular imaging results (CTA, MRA, or conventional angiography)
- ✓Treatment plan including thrombolysis or thrombectomy decisions
Commonly Confused Codes
I63.31x — Thrombosis of middle cerebral artery; use when middle cerebral artery is identifiedI63.32x — Thrombosis of anterior cerebral artery; use when anterior cerebral artery is identifiedI63.33x — Thrombosis of posterior cerebral artery; use when posterior cerebral artery is identifiedI63.00 — Thrombosis of unspecified precerebral artery; precerebral (extracranial) not cerebral (intracranial)I63.40 — Embolism of unspecified cerebral artery; different mechanism
Code Hierarchy
└I63Cerebral infarction└I63.3Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of cerebral arteries└I63.30Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of unspecified cerebral artery
└I63.30Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of unspecified cerebral artery