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N64.52 vs R92

N64.52 (Nipple discharge) compared with R92 (Abnormal and inconclusive findings on diagnostic imaging of breast), from the official CMS tabular data.

Summary

These codes can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because N64.52 lists R92 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named, billing status and chapter.N64.52 is “Nipple discharge”; R92 is “Abnormal and inconclusive findings on diagnostic imaging of breast”. R92 is a non-billable header; N64.52 is billable. N64.52 sits in N00-N99 — Diseases of the Genitourinary System (N00-N99); R92 in R00-R99 — Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99).

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.N64.52 lists R92 under Excludes2: “abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging of breast (R92.-)”. Excludes2 marks distinct conditions that may both be reported when both are documented.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is there an Excludes1 relationship?

None.Neither entry carries an Excludes1 note that names the other code. N64.52 carries 2 Excludes1 notes and R92 carries 2 Excludes1 notes covering other codes; the side-by-side table quotes them.

Official rule

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.N64.52’s tabular entry: “abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging of breast (R92.-)”. The note covers R92.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is one more specific?

Not comparable.The codes sit in different categories; specificity is only comparable within one category.

Is one a parent or header code?

One is a header.R92 is a non-billable header, but N64.52 is not one of its subdivisions.

Registry fact

Are there sequencing instructions?

None.Neither entry carries a Code First or Use Additional Code note that names the other.

Official rule

Are there other coding relationships?

None found.No laterality, encounter-phase, Table of Neoplasms, Table of Drugs and Chemicals, or history-versus-active-disease relationship links these codes.

MedCoder-derived

Official rule: a tabular instructional note or a section of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, quoted as published. Registry fact: the codes’ own published attributes (titles, billable status, position in the hierarchy, code set). MedCoder-derived: a reading MedCoder computes from those facts; it is not itself a rule. How to read the labels

Can these codes be reported together?

Informational

Excludes2 relationship

N64.52
Nipple discharge
↔
R92
Abnormal and inconclusive findings on diagnostic imaging of breast

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.N64.52 carries an Excludes2 note covering R92: “abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging of breast (R92.-)”

Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.

What to review

Report both only when the documentation supports both conditions; otherwise report the one documented.

Guide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2Check these on a claim

Why it matters

An Excludes2 note means the excluded condition is not part of the code above it, but a patient can have both. Report both when both are documented.

Source / rule

CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes

Official guidance behind these answers

  • Section I.A.12.b — Excludes2 · applies to: Excludes2

    A type 2 Excludes note represents “Not included here.” An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.

    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines FY2026

Quoted from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting in effect for the release shown. The tabular notes above are the code-level instruction; these sections are the convention that says how such a note is applied. Source document (CMS PDF) · Release and checksum

Side by side

N64.52Nipple dischargeR92Abnormal and inconclusive findings on diagnostic imaging of breast
Billing statusBillableNon-billable header

Report instead: R92.0, R92.1, R92.2, R92.30, R92.311

ClassificationN00-N99 — Diseases of the Genitourinary System (N00-N99)R00-R99 — Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99)
DefinitionNipple discharge is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (N64.52).Abnormal and inconclusive findings on diagnostic imaging of breast is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (R92).
Includes—
nonspecific abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging by computerized axial tomography [CAT scan]
nonspecific abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging by magnetic resonance imaging [MRI][NMR]
nonspecific abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging by positron emission tomography [PET scan]
nonspecific abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging by thermography
Excludes1
abnormal findings in nipple discharge (R89.-)
disorders of breast associated with childbirth (O91-O92)
abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
diagnostic abnormal findings classified elsewhere - see Alphabetical Index
Excludes2
abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging of breast (R92.-)
mechanical complication of breast prosthesis and implant (T85.4-)
—

Notes are the code’s own tabular entry, quoted as published. A note that names the other code is the one the verdict above rests on.

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Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2027). A coding-rule comparison, not billing advice: payer-specific edits and medical-necessity policy are outside its scope. All data sources