R70-R79 ICD-10-CM Code: Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for R70-R79 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Don’t confuse R70-R79 with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of R70-R79 — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

• O28— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother adds O28; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: R70-R79 vs O28 →

• E78— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of abnormalities of lipids adds E78; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: R70-R79 vs E78 →

• D69— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of abnormalities of platelets and thrombocytes adds D69; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: R70-R79 vs D69 →

• D70— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of abnormalities of white blood cells classified elsewhere adds D70; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: R70-R79 vs D70 →

• D72— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of abnormalities of white blood cells classified elsewhere adds D72; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: R70-R79 vs D72 →

• D65— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of coagulation hemorrhagic disorders adds D65; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: R70-R79 vs D65 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data

CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data

CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder structured relationship

Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears

Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder explanation

Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to R70-R79 in its code family, with their registry titles.

• R70 — Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and abnormality of plasma viscosity
• R71 — Abnormality of red blood cells
• R73 — Elevated blood glucose level
• R74 — Abnormal serum enzyme levels
• R75 — Inconclusive laboratory evidence of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]
• R76 — Other abnormal immunological findings in serum
• R77 — Other abnormalities of plasma proteins
• R78 — Findings of drugs and other substances, not normally found in blood
• R79 — Other abnormal findings of blood chemistry