Excludes1 pair

K82- vs R93.2

K82 and R93.2 are not coded together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note — the two conditions are not expected to occur together, so exactly one of them is normally correct for a given encounter. The Official Guidelines carve out one exception: if the two conditions are clearly unrelated to each other, both may be reported.

The official note, declared on K82
nonvisualization of gallbladder (R93.2)
K82

Other diseases of gallbladder

Not billable
Chapter 11
Diseases of the digestive system
Section
K80-K87
R93.2

Abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging of liver and biliary tract

Billable
Chapter 18
Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
Section
R90-R94
Use when the record says
  • Nonvisualization of gallbladder
Indexed under
  • Nonvisualization, gallbladder
  • Filling defect › biliary tract
  • Filling defect › gallbladder
  • Findings, abnormal, inconclusive, without diagnosis › gallbladder, nonvisualization
  • Findings, abnormal, inconclusive, without diagnosis › nonvisualization of gallbladder

These two codes sit in different chapters of the Tabular List, which is usually the clearest signal that they describe different underlying processes rather than different degrees of the same one.

Excludes1 is not always absolute: where two conditions covered by the note are genuinely unrelated, CMS guidance permits reporting both. Document the reasoning rather than assuming it. More on Excludes1 vs Excludes2 · FY2027