C71.5 vs C71.7
C71.5 (Malignant neoplasm of cerebral ventricle) compared with C71.7 (Malignant neoplasm of brain stem), from the official CMS tabular data. Do not report these codes together: the official tabular list marks them Excludes1.
Can these codes be reported together?
No — do not report together. C71.5 carries an Excludes1 note covering C71.7: “malignant neoplasm of fourth cerebral ventricle (C71.7)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
Side by side
| C71.5Malignant neoplasm of cerebral ventricle | C71.7Malignant neoplasm of brain stem | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Billable |
| Classification | C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49) | C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49) |
| Definition | Malignant neoplasm of cerebral ventricle is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (C71.5). | Malignant neoplasm of brain stem is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (C71.7). |
| Includes | — | Malignant neoplasm of fourth cerebral ventricle Infratentorial malignant neoplasm NOS |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources