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Dx

ICD-10-CM 2027

ICD-10 code for disc intervertebral disorder

M51.9

Unspecified thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorder

✓ Billable / specific

From the official ICD-10-CM alphabetic index entry “Disorder (of) › disc (intervertebral)”. Page updated September 29, 2026.

About coding disc intervertebral disorder

The ICD-10-CM code for disc intervertebral disorder is M51.9 (Unspecified thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorder). The official index lists 82 more specific codes, so check the documentation for details such as type, cause, site or severity before settling on M51.9.

Within M51, choose M51.9 (Unspecified thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorder) only when documentation doesn't support a more specific option: thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy (M51.0), thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy (M51.1), other thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc displacement (M51.2), other thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc degeneration (M51.3), Schmorl's nodes (M51.4), other thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders (M51.8) and other lumbar and lumbosacral annulus fibrosus disc defects (M51.A).

It is not a CC or MCC, so as a secondary diagnosis it doesn't change the MS-DRG severity level.

In MS-DRG v44.0, it is part of the grouping logic for DRG 551 (Medical Back Problems with MCC, relative weight 1.6358) and DRG 552 (Medical Back Problems without MCC, relative weight 0.9584), in MDC 08 (Diseases and Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue), as a principal or secondary diagnosis. The DRG a claim lands in depends on the principal diagnosis, procedures and any CC/MCC secondary diagnoses.

More specific disc intervertebral disorder codes (official index)

  • with
  • myelopathy
  • cervical region M50.00 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, unspecified cervical region
  • cervicothoracic region M50.03 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, cervicothoracic region
  • high cervical region M50.01 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, high cervical region
  • lumbar region M51.06 — Intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, lumbar region
  • mid-cervical region M50.020 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, mid-cervical region, unspecified level
  • sacrococcygeal region M53.3 — Sacrococcygeal disorders, not elsewhere classified
  • thoracic region M51.04 — Intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, thoracic region
  • thoracolumbar region M51.05 — Intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, thoracolumbar region
  • radiculopathy
  • cervical region M50.10 — Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, unspecified cervical region
  • cervicothoracic region M50.13 — Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, cervicothoracic region
  • high cervical region M50.11 — Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, high cervical region
  • lumbar region M51.16 — Intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy, lumbar region
  • lumbosacral region M51.17 — Intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy, lumbosacral region
  • mid-cervical region M50.120 — Mid-cervical disc disorder, unspecified level
  • sacrococcygeal region M53.3 — Sacrococcygeal disorders, not elsewhere classified
  • thoracic region M51.14 — Intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy, thoracic region
  • thoracolumbar region M51.15 — Intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy, thoracolumbar region
  • cervical M50.90 — Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, unspecified cervical region
  • with
  • myelopathy M50.00 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, unspecified cervical region
  • C2-C3 M50.01 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, high cervical region
  • C3-C4 M50.01 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, high cervical region
  • C4-C5 M50.021 — Cervical disc disorder at C4-C5 level with myelopathy
  • C5-C6 M50.022 — Cervical disc disorder at C5-C6 level with myelopathy
  • C6-C7 M50.023 — Cervical disc disorder at C6-C7 level with myelopathy
  • C7-T1 M50.03 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, cervicothoracic region
  • cervicothoracic region M50.03 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, cervicothoracic region
  • high cervical region M50.01 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, high cervical region
  • mid-cervical region M50.020 — Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, mid-cervical region, unspecified level
  • neuritis, radiculitis or radiculopathy M50.10 — Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, unspecified cervical region
  • C2-C3 M50.11 — Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, high cervical region
  • C3-C4 M50.11 — Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, high cervical region
  • C4-C5 M50.121 — Cervical disc disorder at C4-C5 level with radiculopathy
  • C5-C6 M50.122 — Cervical disc disorder at C5-C6 level with radiculopathy
  • C6-C7 M50.123 — Cervical disc disorder at C6-C7 level with radiculopathy
  • C7-T1 M50.13 — Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, cervicothoracic region
  • cervicothoracic region M50.13 — Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, cervicothoracic region
  • high cervical region M50.11 — Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, high cervical region
  • mid-cervical region M50.120 — Mid-cervical disc disorder, unspecified level
  • C2-C3 M50.91 — Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, high cervical region
  • C3-C4 M50.91 — Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, high cervical region
  • C4-C5 M50.921 — Unspecified cervical disc disorder at C4-C5 level
  • C5-C6 M50.922 — Unspecified cervical disc disorder at C5-C6 level
  • C6-C7 M50.923 — Unspecified cervical disc disorder at C6-C7 level
  • C7-T1 M50.93 — Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, cervicothoracic region
  • cervicothoracic region M50.93 — Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, cervicothoracic region
  • degeneration M50.30 — Other cervical disc degeneration, unspecified cervical region
  • C2-C3 M50.31 — Other cervical disc degeneration, high cervical region
  • C3-C4 M50.31 — Other cervical disc degeneration, high cervical region
  • C4-C5 M50.321 — Other cervical disc degeneration at C4-C5 level
  • C5-C6 M50.322 — Other cervical disc degeneration at C5-C6 level
  • C6-C7 M50.323 — Other cervical disc degeneration at C6-C7 level
  • C7-T1 M50.33 — Other cervical disc degeneration, cervicothoracic region
  • cervicothoracic region M50.33 — Other cervical disc degeneration, cervicothoracic region
  • high cervical region M50.31 — Other cervical disc degeneration, high cervical region
  • mid-cervical region M50.320 — Other cervical disc degeneration, mid-cervical region, unspecified level
  • displacement M50.20 — Other cervical disc displacement, unspecified cervical region
  • C2-C3 M50.21 — Other cervical disc displacement, high cervical region
  • C3-C4 M50.21 — Other cervical disc displacement, high cervical region
  • C4-C5 M50.221 — Other cervical disc displacement at C4-C5 level
  • C5-C6 M50.222 — Other cervical disc displacement at C5-C6 level
  • C6-C7 M50.223 — Other cervical disc displacement at C6-C7 level
  • C7-T1 M50.23 — Other cervical disc displacement, cervicothoracic region
  • cervicothoracic region M50.23 — Other cervical disc displacement, cervicothoracic region
  • high cervical region M50.21 — Other cervical disc displacement, high cervical region
  • mid-cervical region M50.220 — Other cervical disc displacement, mid-cervical region, unspecified level
  • high cervical region M50.91 — Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, high cervical region
  • mid-cervical region M50.920 — Unspecified cervical disc disorder, mid-cervical region, unspecified level
  • specified type NEC M50.80 — Other cervical disc disorders, unspecified cervical region
  • C2-C3 M50.81 — Other cervical disc disorders, high cervical region
  • C3-C4 M50.81 — Other cervical disc disorders, high cervical region
  • C4-C5 M50.821 — Other cervical disc disorders at C4-C5 level
  • C5-C6 M50.822 — Other cervical disc disorders at C5-C6 level
  • C6-C7 M50.823 — Other cervical disc disorders at C6-C7 level
  • C7-T1 M50.83 — Other cervical disc disorders, cervicothoracic region
  • cervicothoracic region M50.83 — Other cervical disc disorders, cervicothoracic region
  • high cervical region M50.81 — Other cervical disc disorders, high cervical region
  • mid-cervical region M50.820 — Other cervical disc disorders, mid-cervical region, unspecified level
  • specified NEC
  • lumbar region M51.86 — Other intervertebral disc disorders, lumbar region
  • lumbosacral region M51.87 — Other intervertebral disc disorders, lumbosacral region
  • sacrococcygeal region M53.3 — Sacrococcygeal disorders, not elsewhere classified
  • thoracic region M51.84 — Other intervertebral disc disorders, thoracic region
  • thoracolumbar region M51.85 — Other intervertebral disc disorders, thoracolumbar region

Common questions about disc intervertebral disorder ICD-10 codes

What is the ICD-10 code for disc intervertebral disorder?

M51.9 — Unspecified thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorder. More specific codes apply when the documentation supports them: M50.00, M50.03, M50.01, M51.06 and others below.

What is the ICD-10 code for cervical disc intervertebral disorder?

M50.90 — Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, unspecified cervical region.

Is M51.9 billable?

Yes. M51.9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code valid for FY2027 (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027).

Can M51.9 be used as a principal diagnosis?

Yes. The Medicare Code Editor doesn't restrict M51.9 as a principal diagnosis.

Is M51.9 a CC or MCC?

No. M51.9 is neither a CC nor an MCC under MS-DRG v44.0.