2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J98.2Interstitial emphysema

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J96-J99›J98

ICD-10-CM J98.2
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

J98.2 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for interstitial emphysema. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 199 through 201. Coders also document this condition as interstitial emphysema of lung. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Pleurisy, pleural effusion and pulmonary collapse.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J98.2
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Interstitial emphysema
Short Description
Interstitial emphysema
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
J98
Other respiratory disorders

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ96-J99Other diseases of the respiratory system
CategoryJ98Other respiratory disorders
This CodeJ98.2Interstitial emphysema

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Interstitial emphysema of lung
  • Mediastinal emphysema
  • Subcutaneous emphysema
  • Tension pneumomediastinum

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Mediastinal emphysema

Type 1 Excludes

  • emphysema NOS J43.9
  • emphysema in newborn P25.0
  • surgical emphysema subcutaneous T81.82
  • traumatic subcutaneous emphysema T79.7

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Air
      • anterior mediastinum
    • Disease, diseased
      • Hamman's (spontaneous mediastinal emphysema)
    • Emphysema(atrophic) (bullous) (chronic) (interlobular) (lung) (obstructive) (pulmonary) (senile) (vesicular)
      • interstitial
    • Emphysema(atrophic) (bullous) (chronic) (interlobular) (lung) (obstructive) (pulmonary) (senile) (vesicular)
      • mediastinal
    • Emphysema(atrophic) (bullous) (chronic) (interlobular) (lung) (obstructive) (pulmonary) (senile) (vesicular)
      • subcutaneous (traumatic)
        • nontraumatic
    • Pneumomediastinum

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR RSP011
Pleurisy, pleural effusion and pulmonary collapse
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Mediastinal Emphysema

    presence of air in the mediastinal tissues due to leakage of air from the tracheobronchial tree, usually as a result of trauma.

  • Subcutaneous Emphysema

    presence of air or gas in the subcutaneous tissues of the body.

  • Grade 3 Subcutaneous Emphysema, CTCAE|Grade 3 Subcutaneous emphysema

    severe or medically significant but not immediately life-threatening; hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization indicated; limiting self-care adl or severe impact on age-appropriate normal daily activity (pediatric)

  • Grade 1 Subcutaneous Emphysema, CTCAE|Grade 1 Subcutaneous emphysema

    asymptomatic or mild symptoms; clinical or diagnostic observations only; intervention not indicated

  • Grade 2 Subcutaneous Emphysema, CTCAE|Grade 2 Subcutaneous emphysema

    moderate; minimal, local or noninvasive intervention indicated

  • Grade 3 Subcutaneous Emphysema, CTCAE|Grade 3 Subcutaneous emphysema

    severe or medically significant but not immediately life-threatening; hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization indicated; limiting self care adl

  • Subcutaneous Emphysema

    the presence of air or gas in subcutaneous tissue.

  • Subcutaneous Emphysema, CTCAE|Subcutaneous emphysema

    a disorder characterized by air in the subcutaneous tissue.

  • Traumatic Subcutaneous Emphysema

    the infiltration of air into the skin tissue secondary to traumatic tissue disruption.

Patient EducationClinical

Emphysema

Emphysema is a type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD is a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe and get worse over time. The other main type of COPD is chronic bronchitis. Most people with COPD have both emphysema and chronic bronchitis, but how severe each type is can be different from person to person.

The full article covers:

  • What is emphysema?
  • What causes emphysema?
  • Who is at risk for emphysema?
  • What are the symptoms of emphysema?
  • How is emphysema diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for emphysema?
  • Can emphysema be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert J98.2 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
518.1 Interstitial emphysema
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About J98.2Overview

Is J98.2 (Other respiratory disorders) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report interstitial emphysema on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does J98.2 group to?

When interstitial emphysema is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 199, 200, 201, with relative weights from 0.7151 to 1.7641 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of J98.2?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, interstitial emphysema converts to ICD-9-CM 518.1 (interstitial emphysema). The mapping is a direct match.

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.