ICD10
ICD-10 Code M46.3: Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic)
Reviewed by HealthAssure Clinical TeamUpdated 21 May 2026
What is this code?
ICD-10 entries help standardize how diagnoses are organized for coding, reporting, analytics, and documentation. This code sits within the broader ICD-10 area for Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99).
đź“‹Clinical overview
This ICD-10 code is commonly used when documentation describes pyogenic infection of an intervertebral disc. The most accurate code depends on the affected spinal region and whether one or multiple spinal sites are documented.
When is it used?
- May be used when a clinician documents infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic) in a patient's medical record.
- May appear in hospital records, claims, referrals, and clinical documentation.
- This code may act more like a grouping or parent code, so a more specific child code may be used in final documentation when available.
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.
- This entry may represent a broader category rather than the most specific billable code.
đź©şClinical context
When commonly used
- Inpatient, infectious-disease, orthopedic-spine, rehabilitation, and utilization-review workflows where pyogenic spinal disc infection is part of the documented problem list.
- Coding workflows where the record supports pyogenic intervertebral-disc infection and the final code changes based on spinal region or multiple-site involvement.
Common management context
- Evaluation often includes back-pain and neurologic-symptom review, inflammatory or infectious workup context, spine imaging, and coordination of antimicrobial and specialty follow-up.
- Documentation usually becomes more specific when the chart identifies the exact spinal region, whether infection involves one or multiple spinal sites, and any associated spinal or infectious findings.
- Specialist context already linked on this page includes Orthopedic Specialist, Rheumatologist, Infectious Disease Specialist.
🔍Key distinctions
Important notes
- These ICD-10 codes are reserved for pyogenic infection of an intervertebral disc rather than noninfectious spinal disorders or vertebral fracture branches.
- Spinal-region and multiple-site detail drive most of the code specificity inside this family.
- Documentation that describes pyogenic infection of an intervertebral disc is coded differently from noninfectious spinal disorders, vertebral fracture patterns, or other osteomyelitis contexts.
Related codes to consider
M46.30Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), site unspecified
Related spinal-infection ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies the spinal region, multiple-site versus single-site infection pattern, pyogenic versus noninfectious context, or another vertebral condition.
M46.31Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), occipito-atlanto-axial region
Related spinal-infection ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies the spinal region, multiple-site versus single-site infection pattern, pyogenic versus noninfectious context, or another vertebral condition.
M46.32Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), cervical region
Related spinal-infection ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies the spinal region, multiple-site versus single-site infection pattern, pyogenic versus noninfectious context, or another vertebral condition.
M46.33Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), cervicothoracic region
Related spinal-infection ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies the spinal region, multiple-site versus single-site infection pattern, pyogenic versus noninfectious context, or another vertebral condition.
Code hierarchy
chapter
13Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
block
M40-M54Dorsopathies
block
M45-M49Spondylopathies
category
M46Other inflammatory spondylopathies
currentM46
Official coding notes
Applicable to
- code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.
Use additional code
- code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.
Where you may see this code
You may see this entry in coding references, medical records, or claims workflows when a broader diagnosis category is being reviewed before a more specific code is chosen.
Related specialists
Orthopedic SpecialistRheumatologistInfectious Disease Specialist
Related codes
M46.30Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), site unspecifiedcodeM46.31Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), occipito-atlanto-axial regioncodeM46.32Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), cervical regioncodeM46.33Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), cervicothoracic regioncodeM46.34Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), thoracic regioncodeM46.35Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), thoracolumbar regioncodeM46.36Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), lumbar regioncodeM46.37Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), lumbosacral regioncodeM46.38Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), sacral and sacrococcygeal regioncodeM46.39Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), multiple sites in spinecode
Sibling codes
Coding guidelines
Compatibility
Legacy code aligns to an official FY 2026 category. Frontend should resolve to the official category page and surface the billable child codes.
Legacy codes
M46.3
Replacement codes
M46.30 — Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), site unspecifiedM46.31 — Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), occipito-atlanto-axial regionM46.32 — Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), cervical regionM46.33 — Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), cervicothoracic regionM46.34 — Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), thoracic regionM46.35 — Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), thoracolumbar regionM46.36 — Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), lumbar regionM46.37 — Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), lumbosacral regionM46.38 — Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), sacral and sacrococcygeal regionM46.39 — Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), multiple sites in spine
Common synonyms
Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic)Infection of intervertebral discInfection of intervertebral disc pyogenic
Frequently asked questions
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.