According to the ICD-9-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, when two or more interrelated conditions equally meet the definition for principal diagnosis, the coder should select which of the following as the principal diagnosis?

A) the diagnosis listed first on the encounter form or face sheet
B) the diagnosis with the lowest code number
C) any one of the diagnoses may be sequenced first.
D) the condition that was diagnosed first by the provider

C