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Wiki increased PSA that is still within the normal range

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PSA is increased over the last screening so provider wants to repeat PSA in 6 mos. Is R97.20 (Elevated prostate specific antigen [PSA] appropriate? The PSA level was higher than the patient's baseline & previous screening value, but it's not above the absolute normal range. How is ELEVATED interpreted? A level that is elevated for a specific patient's history, even if it's technically within the general "normal" range for all patients. (so elevated for each individual patient or only elevated per the normal range)
 
Since coders cannot assign a dx code from a lab value and you have a diagnostic statement that the PSA is increased I would confidently assign R97.20 if it were me.
 
I agree, with the caveat that if the patient previously had prostate cancer I'd use R97.21 (Rising PSA following treatment for malignant neoplasm of prostate).

I code for oncology and if my physician says that the PSA is elevated or rising, that's what I code.

As the other poster mentioned, coders don't interpret lab values. We code from the provider's documented impression of the lab values.
 
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