Syphilitic cerebral arteritis

This code represents inflammation of the cerebral arteries caused by syphilis. It is a manifestation of neurosyphilis, where the spirochete Treponema pallidum directly infects the central nervous system, leading to vasculitis affecting the brain's blood vessels. This can result in various neurological deficits depending on the affected arteries.

Use this code when documentation explicitly states syphilitic cerebral arteritis or cerebral vasculitis due to syphilis. This diagnosis is typically made based on serological tests for syphilis (e.g., VDRL, RPR, FTA-ABS) combined with neurological symptoms and imaging findings consistent with cerebral vasculitis. Documentation should clearly link the arteritis to a syphilitic etiology.

• Always confirm the syphilitic etiology; do not assume based on cerebral arteritis alone.
• Code also for any associated neurological manifestations or complications, such as stroke (I63.-).
• Ensure documentation specifies "cerebral" arteritis to differentiate from other forms of syphilitic arteritis.