2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A17.81Tuberculoma of brain and spinal cord
ICD-10-CM Codes›A00–B99›A15-A19›A17
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- MCC — Major Complication or Comorbidity
- Not Chronic
A17.81 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for tuberculoma of brain and spinal cord. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 23 through 24, 94 through 96, 974 through 976. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a major complication or comorbidity (MCC) and places an inpatient stay in the highest severity level of its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 18 closely related codes. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under CNS abscess and Tuberculosis.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Abscess of spinal cord caused by bacterium
- Granuloma of spinal cord caused by bacterium
- Granuloma of spinal cord caused by Mycobacterium
- Hydrocephalus due to tuberculosis of brain
- Mycobacterial spinal cord abscess
- Tuberculoma
- Tuberculoma of brain
- Tuberculoma of spinal cord
- Tuberculoma of spinal cord confirmed
- Tuberculosis of brain
- Tuberculosis of spinal cord
- Tuberculous abscess
- Tuberculous abscess of brain
- Tuberculous abscess of epidural space
- Tuberculous abscess of spinal cord
- Tuberculous intracranial abscess
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to A17.81: its own notes plus those printed at block A15-A19 and Chapter 1. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.
Includes
Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.
- infections due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis
- diseases generally recognized as communicable or transmissible
Applicable To
Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.
- Tuberculous abscess of brain and spinal cord
Excludes1
Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
- congenital tuberculosis (P37.0)
- nonspecific reaction to test for tuberculosis without active tuberculosis (R76.1-)
- pneumoconiosis associated with tuberculosis, any type in A15 (J65)
- positive PPD (R76.11)
- positive tuberculin skin test without active tuberculosis (R76.11)
- sequelae of tuberculosis (B90.-)
- silicotuberculosis (J65)
Excludes2
Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.
- carrier or suspected carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)
- certain localized infections - see body system-related chapters
- infectious and parasitic diseases complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O98.-)
- infectious and parasitic diseases specific to the perinatal period (P35-P39)
- influenza and other acute respiratory infections (J00-J22)
Use Additional Code
Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.
- code, if applicable, for associated cachexia (E88.A)
- code to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-)
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Referenced in Other NotesGuidance
Instructional notes printed at other codes that name A17.81, its category, or a range that includes it.
Applicable To 1
These notes mention A17.81.
- O98.0 Tuberculosis complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
Excludes1 3
These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming A17.81: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
Excludes2 2
These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming A17.81: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
Abscess (connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic) L02.91
Tubercle See Also: Tuberculosis;
brain, solitary A17.81
Tuberculoma See Also: Tuberculosis;
brain A17.81
spinal cord A17.81
Tuberculosis, tubercular, tuberculous (calcification) (calcified) (caseous) (chromogenic acid-fast bacilli) (degeneration) (fibrocaseous) (fistula) (interstitial) (isolated circumscribed lesions) (necrosis) (parenchymatous) (ulcerative) A15.9
brain A17.81
epidural (cerebral) (spinal) A17.81
spinal cord A17.81
brain A17.81
cerebellum A17.81
cerebral, cerebrum A17.81
cerebrospinal A17.81
dura (mater) (cerebral) (spinal) A17.0
abscess (cerebral) (spinal) A17.81
medulla A17.81
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Brain Diseases
Your brain is the control center of your body. It controls your thoughts, memory, speech, and movement. It regulates the function of many organs. It's part of your nervous system, which also includes your spinal cord and peripheral nerves. The nervous system sends signals between your brain and the rest of the body.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert A17.81 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About A17.81Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for tuberculoma of brain and spinal cord?
The ICD-10-CM code for tuberculoma of brain and spinal cord is A17.81 (sometimes written as A1781). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is A17.81 (Other tuberculosis of nervous system) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report tuberculoma of brain and spinal cord on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does A17.81 group to?
When tuberculoma of brain and spinal cord is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 24, 974, 976, 975, 23, 96, 95, 94, with relative weights from 0.7879 to 5.7422 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is A17.81 a CC or MCC?
CMS lists A17.81 as an MCC (major complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it places the inpatient stay in the highest-weighted DRG of its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 18 closely related codes in its exclusion list.
Can A17.81 be reported with P37.0?
Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at block A15-A19, which applies to A17.81, lists "congenital tuberculosis (P37.0)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
