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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

M48.44Fatigue fracture of vertebra, thoracic region

Not billable — use a more specific codeRequires 7th character

M48.44 is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself. Choose one of the 4 more specific codes beneath it and add the required 7th character.

Code unchanged since ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data

About M48.44

M48.44 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for fatigue fracture of vertebra, thoracic region. It belongs to category M48 (other spondylopathies), block M45-M49 (spondylopathies) and chapter 13 (diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 4 subcodes must be used instead.

Within M48.4 (fatigue fracture of vertebra), M48.44 is specifically for fatigue fracture of vertebra, thoracic region. Related codes cover site unspecified (M48.40), occipito-atlanto-axial region (M48.41), cervical region (M48.42), cervicothoracic region (M48.43), thoracolumbar region (M48.45), lumbar region (M48.46), lumbosacral region (M48.47) and sacral and sacrococcygeal region (M48.48).

Codes in this range require a 7th character: A for initial encounter for fracture, D for subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing, G for subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing and S for sequela of fracture. Use placeholder "X" characters to fill any empty positions before the 7th character.

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.

7th character

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from subcategory M48.4:

  • Ainitial encounter for fractureM48.44XA
  • Dsubsequent encounter for fracture with routine healingM48.44XD
  • Gsubsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healingM48.44XG
  • Ssequela of fractureM48.44XS

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to M48.44.

› From M48.4 Fatigue fracture of vertebra
Excludes1
  • pathological fracture NOS (M84.4-)
  • pathological fracture of vertebra due to neoplasm (M84.58)
  • pathological fracture of vertebra due to other diagnosis (M84.68)
  • pathological fracture of vertebra due to osteoporosis (M80.-)
  • traumatic fracture of vertebrae (S12.0-S12.3-, S22.0-, S32.0-)

Broader instructions also apply from Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue.

Alphabetic index entries

1 entries

Terms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to M48.44.

Code history

  1. 2016
  2. 2017
  3. 2018
  4. 2019
  5. 2020
  6. 2021
  7. 2022
  8. 2023
  9. 2024
  10. 2025
  11. 2026
  12. 2027
  • FY2016 (effective 10/1/2015): Added (first year of ICD-10-CM)
  • No changes since FY2016.

Common questions about M48.44

Is M48.44 billable?

No. M48.44 is a header code. Report one of its more specific subcodes instead.