38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.119

Thyroid enlargement, nontoxic — VA Diagnostic Code 7902

Endocrine

Diagnostic code

7902

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38 CFR § 4.119 lists Diagnostic Code 7902 as “Thyroid enlargement, nontoxic:”. The title ends with a colon. The rating cell on that title is empty. DC 7902 does not print 100, 60, 30, 10, or 0. It prints Note (1) and Note (2). Both notes end with a period. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Thyroid enlargement, nontoxic.”

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.119 source note prints 61 FR 20446, May 7, 1996, as amended at 82 FR 50804, Nov. 2, 2017.

The rating criteria at each level

7902 Thyroid enlargement, nontoxic

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Note (1): Evaluate symptoms due to pressure on adjacent organs (such as the trachea, larynx, or esophagus) under the appropriate diagnostic code(s) within the appropriate body system.

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Note (2): If disfigurement of the neck is present due to thyroid disease or enlargement, separately evaluate under DC 7800 (burn scar(s) of the head, face, or neck; scar(s) of the head, face, or neck due to other causes; or other disfigurement of the head, face, or neck).

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Note (1): Evaluate symptoms due to pressure on adjacent organs (such as the trachea, larynx, or esophagus) under the appropriate diagnostic code(s) within the appropriate body system.
—	Note (2): If disfigurement of the neck is present due to thyroid disease or enlargement, separately evaluate under DC 7800 (burn scar(s) of the head, face, or neck; scar(s) of the head, face, or neck due to other causes; or other disfigurement of the head, face, or neck).

Note (1) names pressure on adjacent organs, with the examples trachea, larynx, or esophagus, and says to evaluate those symptoms under the appropriate diagnostic code or codes within the appropriate body system.

Note (2) says that if disfigurement of the neck is present due to thyroid disease or enlargement, separately evaluate under DC 7800, and it repeats that code’s title in parentheses.

DC 7902 does not say to evaluate the enlargement as hyperthyroidism or as hypothyroidism. Those directions are on other codes.

38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met. DC 7902 does not print a compensable percentage of its own. The notes are the instructions that are printed. 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.

DC 7901 is “Thyroid enlargement, toxic:”. Its Note (1) says to evaluate symptoms of hyperthyroidism under DC 7900, hyperthyroidism, including, but not limited to, Graves' disease. Its Note (2) is the same disfigurement sentence as DC 7902’s Note (2). DC 7902’s Note (1) is the pressure sentence. It does not name DC 7900.

DC 7903 is hypothyroidism. DC 7904 is hyperparathyroidism. Neither title is nontoxic thyroid enlargement. Note (1) of DC 7902 points pressure symptoms at the appropriate code in the appropriate body system, which can include DC 6516 for the larynx or DC 7203 for esophageal stricture when that is the code the findings use. This page does not choose that code.

DC 7800 is the code Note (2) names for disfigurement of the neck. The note says “separately evaluate.”

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 lists “Endocrinopathies” and, in the radiogenic list, “Cancer of the thyroid.” It does not contain “nontoxic.” It does not assign DC 7902. A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.119, Diagnostic Code 7902, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Nontoxic is the title

The schedule word is “nontoxic,” not “toxic.” DC 7901 is thyroid enlargement, toxic. Its first note sends hyperthyroid symptoms to DC 7900. DC 7902’s first note sends pressure symptoms to the appropriate body system.

No percentage on this code

The title row has an empty rating cell. The two notes are the block. They do not print 100, 60, 30, 10, or 0.

DC 7800 is named in full

Note (2) repeats the DC 7800 title: burn scar(s) of the head, face, or neck; scar(s) of the head, face, or neck due to other causes; or other disfigurement of the head, face, or neck.

Evidence that speaks to each level

Note (1)

What the rater needs to see. Symptoms due to pressure on an adjacent organ, such as the trachea, larynx, or esophagus.

Where that usually lives. The findings for that organ, read under the diagnostic code Note (1) points to. DC 7902 does not print that other code’s percentages.

Note (2)

What the rater needs to see. Disfigurement of the neck due to thyroid disease or enlargement.

Where that usually lives. The DC 7800 evaluation, which the note says to make separately.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
Note (1)	Symptoms due to pressure on an adjacent organ, such as the trachea, larynx, or esophagus.	The findings for that organ, read under the diagnostic code Note (1) points to. DC 7902 does not print that other code’s percentages.
Note (2)	Disfigurement of the neck due to thyroid disease or enlargement.	The DC 7800 evaluation, which the note says to make separately.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Thyroid and Parathyroid” under Endocrinological. A separate form, “Endocrine (Other than Thyroid, Parathyroid or Diabetes Mellitus),” is listed beside it. The file for this code’s heading is Thyroid and Parathyroid.

The exam form

DC 7902 prints two notes and no percentage. This page does not say the form replaces those notes.

Related codes and how they interact

Toxic enlargement is DC 7901.

DC 7901 evaluates hyperthyroid symptoms under DC 7900 and uses the same DC 7800 disfigurement note. DC 7902 does not contain the hyperthyroidism sentence.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

Section 3.309 does not contain “nontoxic” and does not assign DC 7902. Cancer of the thyroid and the word “Endocrinopathies” stay different sentences. Hypothyroidism remains DC 7903.

A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Short answers

How does VA rate nontoxic thyroid enlargement?

Under 38 CFR § 4.119, Diagnostic Code 7902 does not print its own percentage. Note (1) evaluates pressure symptoms under the appropriate diagnostic code. Note (2) evaluates neck disfigurement separately under DC 7800. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Is nontoxic thyroid enlargement the hypothyroidism code?

No. DC 7903 is hypothyroidism. DC 7901 is toxic thyroid enlargement. DC 7902 is thyroid enlargement, nontoxic, and its notes are the pressure sentence and the DC 7800 sentence.

FAQ

What percentage does DC 7902 print?

None. Nontoxic thyroid enlargement has two notes. Note (1) evaluates pressure symptoms under the appropriate code in the appropriate body system. Note (2) evaluates neck disfigurement separately under DC 7800. Education only.

Does DC 7902 say to rate the enlargement as Graves' disease?

No. DC 7901’s note says to evaluate symptoms of hyperthyroidism under DC 7900, hyperthyroidism, including, but not limited to, Graves' disease. DC 7902’s Note (1) is about pressure on adjacent organs.

Which organs does Note (1) name as examples?

The trachea, larynx, or esophagus. The note says “such as.” It then says to use the appropriate diagnostic code within the appropriate body system.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 7902 and whether it used Note (1), Note (2), or both.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other endocrine codes are on the endocrine diagnostic-code index. The category page is endocrine conditions.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Endocrine, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Endocrine codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 7902 • va.gov

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.