X39.08XS - Exposure to other natural radiation, sequela
| ICD-10: | X39.08XS |
| Short Description: | Exposure to other natural radiation, sequela |
| Long Description: | Exposure to other natural radiation, sequela |
| Status: | Valid for Submission |
| Version: | ICD-10-CM 2023 |
| Code Classification: |
X39.08XS is a billable ICD-10 code used to specify a medical diagnosis of exposure to other natural radiation, sequela. The code is valid during the fiscal year 2023 from October 01, 2022 through September 30, 2023 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. The code is exempt from present on admission (POA) reporting for inpatient admissions to general acute care hospitals.
X39.08XS is a sequela code, includes a 7th character and should be used for complications that arise as a direct result of a condition like exposure to other natural radiation. According to ICD-10-CM Guidelines a "sequela" code should be used for chronic or residual conditions that are complications of an initial acute disease, illness or injury. The most common sequela is pain. Usually, two diagnosis codes are needed when reporting sequela. The first code describes the nature of the sequela while the second code describes the sequela or late effect.
Present on Admission (POA)
X39.08XS is exempt from POA reporting - The Present on Admission (POA) indicator is used for diagnosis codes included in claims involving inpatient admissions to general acute care hospitals. POA indicators must be reported to CMS on each claim to facilitate the grouping of diagnoses codes into the proper Diagnostic Related Groups (DRG). CMS publishes a listing of specific diagnosis codes that are exempt from the POA reporting requirement. Review other POA exempt codes here.
CMS POA Indicator Options and Definitions
| POA Indicator Code | POA Reason for Code | CMS will pay the CC/MCC DRG? |
|---|---|---|
| Y | Diagnosis was present at time of inpatient admission. | YES |
| N | Diagnosis was not present at time of inpatient admission. | NO |
| U | Documentation insufficient to determine if the condition was present at the time of inpatient admission. | NO |
| W | Clinically undetermined - unable to clinically determine whether the condition was present at the time of inpatient admission. | YES |
| 1 | Unreported/Not used - Exempt from POA reporting. | NO |
Convert to ICD-9 Code
| Source ICD-10 Code | Target ICD-9 Code | |
|---|---|---|
| X39.08XS | E929.8 - Late eff accident NEC | |
| Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code. | ||
Patient Education
Radiation Exposure
What is radiation?
Radiation is energy. It travels in the form of energy waves or high-speed particles. Radiation can occur naturally or be man-made. There are two types:
- Non-ionizing radiation, which includes radio waves, cell phones, microwaves, infrared radiation and visible light
- Ionizing radiation, which includes ultraviolet radiation, radon, x-rays, and gamma rays
What are the sources of radiation exposure?
Background radiation is all around us all the time. Most of it forms naturally from minerals. These radioactive minerals are in the ground, soil, water, and even our bodies. Background radiation can also come from outer space and the sun. Other sources are man-made, such as x-rays, radiation therapy to treat cancer, and electrical power lines.
What are the health effects of radiation exposure?
Radiation has been around us throughout our evolution. So our bodies are designed to deal with the low levels we're exposed to every day. But too much radiation can damage tissues by changing cell structure and damaging DNA. This can cause serious health problems, including cancer.
The amount of damage that exposure to radiation can cause depends on several factors, including:
- The type of radiation
- The dose (amount) of radiation
- How you were exposed, such as through skin contact, swallowing or breathing it in, or having rays pass through your body
- Where the radiation concentrates in the body and how long it stays there
- How sensitive your body is to radiation. A fetus is most vulnerable to the effects of radiation. Infants, children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to health effects than healthy adults.
Being exposed to a lot of radiation over a short period of time, such as from a radiation emergency, can cause skin burns. It may also lead to acute radiation syndrome (ARS, or "radiation sickness"). The symptoms of ARS include headache and diarrhea. They usually start within hours. Those symptoms will go away and the person will seem healthy for a little while. But then they will get sick again. How soon they get sick again, which symptoms they have, and how sick they get depends on the amount of radiation they received. In some cases, ARS causes death in the following days or weeks.
Exposure to low levels of radiation in the environment does not cause immediate health effects. But it can slightly increase your overall risk of cancer.
What are the treatments for acute radiation sickness?
Before they start treatment, health care professionals need to figure out how much radiation your body absorbed. They will ask about your symptoms, do blood tests, and may use a device that measures radiation. They also try get more information about the exposure, such as what type of radiation it was, how far away you were from the source of the radiation, and how long you were exposed.
Treatment focuses on reducing and treating infections, preventing dehydration, and treating injuries and burns. Some people may need treatments that help the bone marrow recover its function. If you were exposed to certain types of radiation, your provider may give you a treatment that limits or removes the contamination that is inside your body. You may also get treatments for your symptoms.
How can radiation exposure be prevented?
There are steps you can take to prevent or reduce radiation exposure:
- If your health care provider recommends a test that uses radiation, ask about its risks and benefits. In some cases, you may be able to have a different test that does not use radiation. But if you do need a test that uses radiation, do some research into the local imaging facilities. Find one that monitors and uses techniques to reduce the doses they are giving patients.
- Reduce electromagnetic radiation exposure from your cell phone. At this time, scientific evidence has not found a link between cell phone use and health problems in humans. More research is needed to be sure. But if you still have concerns, you can reduce how much time you spend on your phone. You can also use speaker mode or a headset to place more distance between your head and the cell phone.
- If you live in a house, test the radon levels, and if you need to, get a radon reduction system.
- During a radiation emergency, get inside a building to take shelter. Stay inside, with all of the windows and doors shut. Stay tuned to and follow the advice of emergency responders and officials.
Environmental Protection Agency
[Learn More in MedlinePlus]
Code History
- FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
- FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
- FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
- FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
- FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
- FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
- FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
- FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016 (First year ICD-10-CM implemented into the HIPAA code set)
