Question

A patient was referred to the radiology department for chronic low back pain. the radiology report indicated there was no marrow abnormality identified and the conus medullaris was unremarkable. additional findings include: l4–l5: there is a minor diffusely bulging annulus at l4–l5. a small focal disc bulge is seen in far lateral position on the left at l4–l5 within the neural foramen. no definite encroachment on the exiting nerve root at this site is seen. no significant spinal stenosis is identified. l5–s1: there is a diffusely bulging annulus at l5–s1, with a small focal disc bulge centrally at this level. there is minor disc desiccation and disc space narrowing at l5–s1. no significant spinal stenosis is seen at l5–s1. the final diagnosis is minor degenerative disc disease at l4–l5 and l5–s1, as described. what icd-10-cm code(s) is/are reported?

Answer 1

The ICD code for this specific disease is M51.36. This is under the "diseases of musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)" in the section of "other dorsopathies (M50-M54)" where it comprises "cervical disc disorders (M50)", "thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders (M51), "other and unspecified dorsopathies, not elsewhere classified (M53)", and "dorsalgia (M54). The disease is under the "thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders", under degeneration (M51.3), with the specific disease is under "other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region (M51.36)".