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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

M54.1Radiculopathy

Not billable — use a more specific code

M54.1 is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself. Choose one of the 9 more specific codes beneath it.

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 M54.1

M54.1 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for radiculopathy. It belongs to category M54 (dorsalgia), block M50-M54 (other dorsopathies) 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 9 subcodes must be used instead.

Within M54 (dorsalgia), M54.1 is specifically for radiculopathy. Related codes cover panniculitis affecting regions of neck and back (M54.0), Cervicalgia (M54.2), sciatica (M54.3), Lumbago with sciatica (M54.4), low back pain (M54.5), pain in thoracic spine (M54.6), other dorsalgia (M54.8) and unspecified (M54.9).

To report this condition, pick the subcode that matches the documentation: M54.10 (site unspecified), M54.11 (occipito-atlanto-axial region), M54.12 (cervical region), M54.13 (cervicothoracic region), M54.14 (thoracic region), M54.15 (thoracolumbar region), M54.16 (lumbar region), M54.17 (lumbosacral region) and 1 more.

Don't report M54.1 together with the conditions in its Excludes1 note: neuralgia and neuritis NOS (M79.2), radiculopathy with cervical disc disorder (M50.1), radiculopathy with lumbar and other intervertebral disc disorder (M51.1-) and radiculopathy with spondylosis (M47.2-).

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

Specific codes under M54.1

Coding notes

Applicable toConditions and synonyms classified to this code
  • Brachial neuritis or radiculitis NOS
  • Lumbar neuritis or radiculitis NOS
  • Lumbosacral neuritis or radiculitis NOS
  • Thoracic neuritis or radiculitis NOS
  • Radiculitis NOS
Excludes1Not coded here — never report together with this code
  • neuralgia and neuritis NOS (M79.2)
  • radiculopathy with cervical disc disorder (M50.1)
  • radiculopathy with lumbar and other intervertebral disc disorder (M51.1-)
  • radiculopathy with spondylosis (M47.2-)

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to M54.1.

› From M54 Dorsalgia
Excludes1
  • psychogenic dorsalgia (F45.41)

Broader instructions also apply from M50-M54 Other dorsopathies and 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 M54.1.

Codes whose notes reference M54.1

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 M54.1

Is M54.1 billable?

No. M54.1 is a header code. Report one of its more specific subcodes instead.