Body system: Endocrine SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.119
DC 7916 covers hyperpituitarism caused by a prolactin-secreting pituitary tumor (prolactinoma) and other prolactin-secreting pituitary dysfunction. DC 7916 itself has no rating ladder. Per the CFR Note, the rating is assigned as a malignant or benign endocrine neoplasm, as appropriate, under DC 7914 (malignant) or DC 7915 (benign). DC 7914 carries a 100% rating during active treatment with a mandatory six-month re-exam, then drops to residuals. DC 7915 is rated entirely on the residual endocrine dysfunction (for example, hypopituitarism after tumor removal, or persistent hyperprolactinemia with galactorrhea, infertility, or sexual dysfunction).
Rating levels
- -1% — Hyperpituitarism is rated by routing it to whichever endocrine-neoplasm code matches the underlying tumor. If the pituitary lesion is malignant, rate under DC 7914 (malignant endocrine neoplasm), which assigns 100% during active antineoplastic treatment with a mandatory VA exam six months after treatment ends, then rates residuals. If the pituitary lesion is benign (the typical prolactinoma case), rate under DC 7915 (benign endocrine neoplasm), which has no rating ladder of its own and is rated entirely on residual endocrine dysfunction (for example, hypopituitarism after surgical or radiation treatment, or persistent hyperprolactinemia with galactorrhea, infertility, sexual dysfunction, headache, or visual field defects from local mass effect).
- -1% — The CFR Note directs the rater to treat hyperpituitarism as a neoplasm under DC 7914 (malignant) or DC 7915 (benign) instead of carrying its own rating ladder. The Note is the entire rating instruction, there is no separate percentage assigned to DC 7916. The choice between 7914 and 7915 follows the pathology of the pituitary lesion; the symptoms (galactorrhea, infertility, sexual dysfunction, headache, visual field defects) become evidence for the residuals rating once 7914 or 7915 is selected.