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ICD-10 Code A15.6: Tuberculous pleurisy

A15.6 is a billable ICD-10 diagnosis code used to classify Tuberculous pleurisy in medical records and claims. You may see this code in hospital records, discharge summaries, insurance claims, encounter documentation, referrals, or other healthcare billing and coding records. ICD-10 codes are diagnosis classification codes used in healthcare records, reporting, coding workflows, and billing support. This code sits within the broader ICD-10 area for Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).

Reviewed by HealthAssure Clinical TeamUpdated 26 May 2026

What is this code?

ICD-10 codes are diagnosis classification codes used in healthcare records, reporting, coding workflows, and billing support. This code sits within the broader ICD-10 area for Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).

When is it used?

  • May be used when a clinician documents tuberculous pleurisy in a patient's medical record.
  • May appear in hospital records, claims, referrals, and clinical documentation.
  • This code can be used as a clinically usable diagnosis entry in standardized coding workflows.

What it does not mean

  • A code alone does not explain severity, treatment plan, or outcome.
  • A medical code should not be treated as a substitute for a doctor's diagnosis or advice.

Code hierarchy

chapter
1Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
block
A15-A19Tuberculosis
category
A15Respiratory tuberculosis
currentA15

Official coding notes

Inclusion terms
  • Tuberculosis of pleura Tuberculous empyema
Excludes1 (do not code together)
  • primary respiratory tuberculosis (A15.7)

Where you may see this code

You may see this code in hospital records, discharge summaries, insurance claims, encounter documentation, referrals, or other healthcare billing and coding records.

Related specialists

Infectious Disease SpecialistGeneral Physician

Related tests

Sputum acid-fast bacilli smear
Commonly considered in pulmonary tuberculosis workup.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis PCR
May help identify tuberculosis DNA in appropriate clinical settings.

Coding guidelines

Compatibility

Legacy and official ICD code match exactly.
Legacy codes
A15.6

Common synonyms

Tuberculous pleurisy

Frequently asked questions

Code details

CodeA15.6
SystemICD10
Display nameTuberculous pleurisy
ChapterCertain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
BlockTuberculosis

Flags

BillableYes
Valid clinical useYes

Source

SourceICD-10
Version2026-annual
Releaseannual
Year2026

Index terms

Matched terms
Adhesions, adhesive(postinfective)EffusionEmpyema(acute) (chest) (double) (pleura) (supradiaphragmatic) (thorax)Fistula(cutaneous)Hemothorax(bacterial) (nontuberculous)HydropneumothoraxHydrothorax(double) (pleura)Pleurisy(acute) (adhesive) (chronic) (costal) (diaphragmatic) (double) (dry) (fibrinous) (fibrous) (interlobar) (latent) (plastic) (primary) (residual) (sicca) (sterile) (subacute) (unresolved)Pleurisy(acute) (adhesive) (chronic) (costal) (diaphragmatic) (double) (dry) (fibrinous) (fibrous) (interlobar) (latent) (plastic) (primary) (residual) (sicca) (sterile) (subacute) (unresolved)Pyopneumothorax(infective)PyothoraxTuberculosis, tubercular, tuberculous(calcification) (calcified) (caseous) (chromogenic acid-fast bacilli) (degeneration) (fibrocaseous) (fistula) (interstitial) (isolated circumscribed lesions) (necrosis) (parenchymatous) (ulcerative)

About this content

This page is prepared by HealthAssure's clinical team using official coding standards from ICD-10. AI tools assist with drafting explanations, which are then reviewed and verified by healthcare professionals for accuracy. This content is for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. Meet our team.

ICD-10 Code A15.6 for Tuberculous pleurisy | HealthAssure