Updated on: March 16, 2016

ICD-10-PCS Character Analysis: Test Your Knowledge of Character 4 – Body Part

By Lolita M. Jones, MSHS, RHIA, CCS
Original story posted on: August 4, 2014

The process of constructing codes in ICD-10-PCS is designed to be logical and consistent: individual letters and numbers called "values" are selected in sequence to occupy the seven spaces of the code, called "characters."

In ICD-10-PCS sections 0 through F, the fourth character defines the body part, body system, body region, or treatment site – i.e., the specific anatomical site where the procedure or service is performed. For sections G (Mental Health) and H (Substance Abuse Treatment), the fourth character defines a specific qualifier.

An exhaustive listing of body parts is not possible in the ICD-10-PCS root operation tables, so a Body Part Key appendix is included in ICD-10-PCS, and it is used to select the appropriate body part values for anatomic sites that are not listed in the root operation tables.

Below is an excerpt from the Body Part Key. The anatomical site listed in the left column is not provided in any of the root operation tables, so it is classified to the body part value that is listed in the right column.

Abdominal aortic plexus

Use:

Abdominal sympathetic nerve

Abdominal esophagus

Use:

Esophagus, lower

For example, destruction of the abdominal aortic plexus would be reported using the root operation table 015, and the body part value M (Abdominal Sympathetic Nerve) would be selected to classify the abdominal aortic plexus (per the Body Part Key).

Using the ICD-10-PCS Body Part Key, fill in the blanks for each anatomic site that is listed below(the answer key is provided at the end of the test). To access the 2014 ICD-10-PCS electronic files, go online to http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Coding/ICD10/2014-ICD-10-PCS.html, then scroll down and download the folder titled “2014 Code Tables and Index” – when you open the folder, you will see the following file:“PCS_2014.” This PDF file is the ICD-10-PCS 2014 Tables and Index.

The Cerebral Hemisphere body part value includes the:

________ lobe

The Pharynx body part value includes the:

_________pharynx

The Esophagogastric junction body part values includes the:

__________________ junction

The Pituitary Gland body part values includes the:

____________physis

The Abdomen Muscle, Right or Left body part value includes the:

___________oblique muscle

___________ oblique muscle

____________abdominis muscle

The Knee Bursa and Ligament, Right or Left body part value includes the:

____________cruciate ligament

____________collateral ligament

The Cervical Vertebral Joint body part value includes the:

____________joint

____________ joint

The Kidney body part value includes the:

Renal _________

The Uterine Supporting Structure body part value includes the:

______________ ligament

______________ligament

______________ligament of uterus

The Conduction Mechanism body part value includes the:

________________ node

Bundle of _____________

The Thoracic Aorta body part value includes the:

Aortic ______________

_______________ aorta

The Innominate Artery body part value includes the:

Brachiocephalic ___________

Answer key (source is the ICD-10-PCS 2014 Body Part Key):

The Cerebral Hemisphere body part value includes the:

Frontal lobe

Occipital lobe

Parietal lobe

Temporal lobe

The Pharynx body part includes the:

Hypopharynx

Laryngopharynx

Oropharynx

The Esophagogastric junction body part values includes the:

Cardioesophageal junction

Gastroesophageal junction

The Pituitary Gland body part values includes the:

Adenohypophysis

Hypophysis

Neurohypophysis

The Abdomen Muscle, Right or Left body part value includes the:

External oblique muscle

Internal oblique muscle

Rectus abdominis muscle

Transverse abdominis muscle

The Knee Bursa and Ligament, Right or Left body part value includes the:

Anterior cruciate ligament

Posterior cruciate ligament

Lateral collateral ligament

Medial collateral ligament

The Cervical Vertebral Joint body part value includes the:

Atlantoaxial joint

Cervical facet joint

The Kidney body part value includes the:

Renal calyx

Renal capsule

Renal cortex

Renal segment

The Uterine Supporting Structure body part value includes the:

Broad ligament

Infundibulopelvic ligament

Ovarian ligament

Round ligament of uterus

The Conduction Mechanism body part value includes the:

Atrioventricular node

Sinoatrial node.

Bundle of His

Bundle of Kent

The Thoracic Aorta body part value includes the:

Aortic arch

Ascending aorta

The Innominate Artery body part value includes the:

Brachiocephalic artery

Brachiocephalic trunk

Disclaimer: Every reasonable effort was made to ensure the accuracy of this information at the time it was published. However, due to the nature of industry changes over time we cannot guarantee its validity after the year it was published.

Email Editor to Discuss

Lolita M. Jones, MSHS, RHIA, CCS

Lolita M. Jones, MSHS, RHIA, CCS has provided Product Consultant services to a warehousing and analytics start-up that developed and marketed decision support software, health outcomes services, and regulatory compliance toolsets. Her goal is to combine her medical coding expertise with data mining-pattern recognition, to help improve data accuracy and compliance in medical coding and reimbursement (i.e., ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, HCPCS Level II, modifiers, DRGs, APCs, and eAPGs). Ms. Jones also provides remote and on-site training/consulting in her newly developed Healthcare Data Mining Clinic educational series. She is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Data Analytics from a top university. Ms. Jones is based in New York and can be reached at .

ICD-10-PCS Character Analysis: Test Your Knowledge of Character 4 – Body Part

Lolita M. Jones, MSHS, RHIA, CCS

Latest from Lolita M. Jones, MSHS, RHIA, CCS