Advanced Search

Pediatric Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Differentiate Pneumonia Diagnoses

Published on Sat Oct 09, 2010

Question: What is the difference between "lobar pneumonia" and "lobular pneumonia?" When there is no further clarification from the physician, is code 481 (Pneumococcal pneumonia [Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia, lobar pneumonia, organism unspecified) the appropriate code assignment for both "lobar pneumonia" and "multilobar pneumonia?" When should we use 481 versus 485?Answer: A patient with lobar pneumonia has pneumonia that affects a large and continuous area of the lobe of a lung. A patient who is diagnosed with lobular pneumonia, or bronchopneumonia, has an acute inflammation of the walls of his bronchioles; affecting many small areas of his lung tissue rather than the large area impacted by lobar pneumonia.Multilobar pneumonia affects more than one lobe of your patient's lung and is a more serious illness than lobar pneumonia. Absent any additional details about the cause of your patient's pneumonia, you would list 481 for either lobar or multilobar pneumonia. However, the most [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in your eNewsletter
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs*
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more
*CEUs available with select eNewsletters.

Other Articles in this issue of

Pediatric Coding Alert

View All