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v1.0.0
ICD-10 Guide
DiagnosesCervical Lymphadenitis

Cervical Lymphadenitis

ICD-10 Coding for Cervical Lymphadenitis(L04.0, A18.2)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYInfectious Disease
COMPLEXITYHigh
LAST UPDATED09/15/2025
Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Cervical Lymphadenitis?
Essential facts and insights about Cervical Lymphadenitis

Key Clinical Considerations:

  • Swollen lymph nodes in the cervical region
  • Fever and systemic symptoms such as malaise
  • Pain or tenderness in the affected lymph nodes

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

  • Patient history including duration of symptoms
  • Physical examination findings of lymphadenopathy
  • Results of any imaging or laboratory tests performed

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

  • Use L04.1 for acute cases and L04.2 for chronic cases.
  • Common errors include misclassifying acute lymphadenitis as chronic.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

  • Non-infectious lymphadenopathy
  • Lymphadenopathy due to malignancy

Related ICD-10 Codes

Primary Codes
L04.1
Cervical lymphadenitis, acute
L04.2
Cervical lymphadenitis, chronic
Ancillary Codes
B95.6
Differential Codes
A18.2
L04.0

Related CPT Codes

CPT codes will be available in a future update.

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Infectious Disease

Specialty Applications

  • Pediatric and adult populations
  • Outpatient and inpatient clinical settings

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

  • Comprehensive clinical documentation
  • Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
  • Proper exclusion considerations
  • Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

  • Ensure proper documentation for billing
  • Verify code specificity requirements
  • Check for any additional codes needed
  • Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

  • Insufficient clinical documentation
  • Incorrect code selection
  • Missing supporting diagnoses
  • Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the documentation requirements?

Document the onset, duration, and characteristics of lymphadenopathy.

What are the billing considerations?

Ensure accurate coding based on the type and duration of lymphadenitis.