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ICD-10 Code I63.512: Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of left middle cerebral artery

I63.512 is a billable ICD-10 diagnosis code used to classify Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of left middle cerebral artery 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 Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99).

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 Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99).

đź“‹Clinical overview

This ICD-10 code is commonly used when documentation describes cerebral infarction attributed to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of a cerebral artery. The most accurate code depends on whether the record later clarifies the exact artery or a more specific thrombotic versus embolic mechanism.

When is it used?

  • May be used when a clinician documents cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of left middle cerebral artery 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.

đź©şClinical context

When commonly used
  • Stroke, neurology, inpatient, and utilization-review documentation where ischemic stroke is linked to cerebral arterial occlusion but the record does not clearly distinguish thrombosis from embolism.
  • Coding workflows where the chart identifies middle, anterior, posterior, cerebellar, unspecified, or another cerebral artery but preserves broader occlusion or stenosis language.
Common management context
  • Evaluation often includes neurologic examination, brain and vascular imaging review, acute-stroke assessment context, and follow-up of ischemic deficits or stroke-risk factors.
  • Documentation usually becomes more specific when the chart clarifies whether the occlusive event is thrombotic versus embolic and names the exact artery involved.
  • Specialist context already linked on this page includes Cardiologist, General Physician, Neurologist, Stroke Specialist.

🔍Key distinctions

Important notes
  • These ICD-10 codes describe ischemic stroke attributed to a broader unspecified occlusion or stenosis pattern in a cerebral artery rather than clearly documented thrombosis or embolism.
  • Specific artery detail such as middle, anterior, posterior, cerebellar, or other cerebral involvement can change the final code.
  • This title reflects unspecified artery detail; if the chart names the affected vessel more clearly, a more specific cerebral-infarction code may be used.
  • Within the cerebral-artery branch, documentation that names middle, anterior, posterior, cerebellar, or another cerebral artery changes code specificity.
  • Laterality matters here because right-sided, left-sided, bilateral, and unspecified-artery involvement are coded separately when the affected vessel is documented more precisely.
  • Documentation that attributes cerebral infarction to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of cerebral arteries is coded differently from infarction due to thrombosis or embolism of similar cerebral arteries.
Related codes to consider
I63.511Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of right middle cerebral artery
Related cerebral-infarction ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies thrombosis versus embolism, the exact artery, laterality, or another occlusive mechanism.
I63.513Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of bilateral middle cerebral arteries
Related cerebral-infarction ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies thrombosis versus embolism, the exact artery, laterality, or another occlusive mechanism.
I63.519Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of unspecified middle cerebral artery
Related cerebral-infarction ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies thrombosis versus embolism, the exact artery, laterality, or another occlusive mechanism.

Code hierarchy

chapter
9Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99)
block
I60-I69Cerebrovascular diseases
category
I63Cerebral infarction
category
I63.5Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of cerebral arteries
category
I63.51Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of middle cerebral artery
currentI63.51

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

CardiologistGeneral PhysicianNeurologistStroke Specialist

Coverage-related procedures and services

CPT 93325high
DOPPLER ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY COLOR FLOW VELOCITY MAPPING (LIST SEPARATELY IN ADDITION TO CODES FOR ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY)
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 93320high
DOPPLER ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, PULSED WAVE AND/OR CONTINUOUS WAVE WITH SPECTRAL DISPLAY (LIST SEPARATELY IN ADDITION TO CODES FOR ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC IMAGING); COMPLETE
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 93321high
DOPPLER ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, PULSED WAVE AND/OR CONTINUOUS WAVE WITH SPECTRAL DISPLAY (LIST SEPARATELY IN ADDITION TO CODES FOR ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC IMAGING); FOLLOW-UP OR LIMITED STUDY (LIST SEPARATELY IN ADDITION TO CODES FOR ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC IMAGING)
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 83090high
HOMOCYSTEINE
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 76376high
3D RENDERING WITH INTERPRETATION AND REPORTING OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY, MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, ULTRASOUND, OR OTHER TOMOGRAPHIC MODALITY WITH IMAGE POSTPROCESSING UNDER CONCURRENT SUPERVISION; NOT REQUIRING IMAGE POSTPROCESSING ON AN INDEPENDENT WORKSTATION
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 76377high
3D RENDERING WITH INTERPRETATION AND REPORTING OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY, MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, ULTRASOUND, OR OTHER TOMOGRAPHIC MODALITY WITH IMAGE POSTPROCESSING UNDER CONCURRENT SUPERVISION; REQUIRING IMAGE POSTPROCESSING ON AN INDEPENDENT WORKSTATION
Source: CMS coverage guidance

Coding guidelines

Common synonyms

Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of left middle cerebral arteryCerebral infarction due to occlusion or stenosis of left middle cerebral artery

Frequently asked questions

Code details

CodeI63.512
SystemICD10
Display nameCerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of left middle cerebral artery
ChapterDiseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99)
BlockCerebrovascular diseases

Flags

BillableYes
Valid clinical useYes

Source

SourceICD-10
Version2026-annual
Releaseannual
Year2026

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.