I88.0 vs L04
I88.0 (Nonspecific mesenteric lymphadenitis) compared with L04 (Acute lymphadenitis), from the official CMS tabular data. Do not report these codes together: the official tabular list marks them Excludes1.
Can these codes be reported together?
No — do not report together. I88.0 carries an Excludes1 note covering L04: “acute lymphadenitis, except mesenteric (L04.-)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
No — do not report together. L04 carries an Excludes1 note covering I88.0: “nonspecific mesenteric lymphadenitis (I88.0)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
Side by side
| I88.0Nonspecific mesenteric lymphadenitis | L04Acute lymphadenitis | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Non-billable header |
| Classification | I00-I99 — Diseases of the Circulatory System (I00-I99) | L00-L99 — Diseases of the Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue (L00-L99) |
| Definition | Nonspecific mesenteric lymphadenitis is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (I88.0). | Acute lymphadenitis is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (L04). |
| Includes | Mesenteric lymphadenitis (acute)(chronic) | abscess (acute) of lymph nodes, except mesenteric acute lymphadenitis, except mesenteric |
| Use additional code | — | code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent. |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources