2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J90

Pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified

ICD-10-CM Code:
J90
ICD-10 Code for:
Pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the respiratory system
    (J00–J99)
    • Other diseases of the pleura
      (J90-J94)
      • Pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified
        (J90)

J90 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Bacterial pleurisy
  • Bacterial pleurisy
  • Bilateral pleural effusion
  • Encysted pleurisy
  • Exudative pleural effusion
  • Exudative pleurisy
  • Fibrinous pleurisy
  • Hemorrhagic pleural effusion
  • Hemothorax
  • Hydrothorax
  • Loculated pleural effusion
  • Pleural effusion
  • Pleural fluid = exudate
  • Pleural fluid type determination
  • Pleurisy with effusion
  • Pleurisy with effusion
  • Pleurisy with effusion
  • Pleurisy with effusion
  • Pneumococcal pleurisy
  • Serofibrinous pleurisy
  • Serous pleurisy
  • Streptococcal pleurisy

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Hemothorax

    hemorrhage within the pleural cavity.
  • Pleural Effusion

    presence of fluid in the pleural cavity resulting from excessive transudation or exudation from the pleural surfaces. it is a sign of disease and not a diagnosis in itself.
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant

    presence of fluid in the pleural cavity as a complication of malignant disease. malignant pleural effusions often contain actual malignant cells.
  • Hydrothorax

    a collection of watery fluid in the pleural cavity. (dorland, 27th ed)
  • Pleural Cavity

    paired but separate cavity within the thoracic cavity. it consists of the space between the parietal and visceral pleura and normally contains a capillary layer of serous fluid that lubricates the pleural surfaces.
  • Hydrothorax

    the accumulation of serous fluid within the pleural cavity.

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Inclusion Terms

Inclusion Terms
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
  • Encysted pleurisy
  • Pleural effusion NOS
  • Pleurisy with effusion (exudative) (serous)

Type 1 Excludes

Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
  • chylous pleural effusion J94.0
  • malignant pleural effusion J91.0
  • pleurisy NOS R09.1
  • tuberculous pleural effusion A15.6

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert J90 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 511.1 - Bact pleur/effus not TB
    Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code.
  • ICD-9-CM Code: 511.89 - Effusion NEC exc tb
    Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code.

Patient Education


Pleural Disorders

Your pleura is a large, thin sheet of tissue that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity. Between the layers of the pleura is a very thin space. Normally it's filled with a small amount of fluid. The fluid helps the two layers of the pleura glide smoothly past each other as your lungs breathe air in and out.

Disorders of the pleura include:

  • Pleurisy - inflammation of the pleura that causes sharp pain with breathing
  • Pleural effusion - excess fluid in the pleural space
  • Pneumothorax - buildup of air or gas in the pleural space
  • Hemothorax - buildup of blood in the pleural space

Many different conditions can cause pleural problems. Viral infection is the most common cause of pleurisy. The most common cause of pleural effusion is congestive heart failure. Lung diseases, like COPD, tuberculosis, and acute lung injury, cause pneumothorax. Injury to the chest is the most common cause of hemothorax. Treatment focuses on removing fluid, air, or blood from the pleural space, relieving symptoms, and treating the underlying condition.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.