Pleurisy without mention of effusion or current tuberculosis

This code represents inflammation of the pleura, the membranes lining the lungs and chest cavity, without any associated fluid accumulation (effusion) or active tuberculosis infection. It signifies a primary pleuritic process, often causing sharp chest pain that worsens with breathing.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates pleurisy as the primary diagnosis, and specifically states the absence of pleural effusion or current tuberculosis. This is often seen in cases of viral pleurisy or idiopathic pleurisy where imaging (e.g., chest X-ray) confirms no effusion.

• Always review imaging reports and physician notes to confirm the absence of pleural effusion.
• If effusion is present, a more specific code from the 511.x series (e.g., 511.9 for unspecified effusion) should be used.
• If tuberculosis is suspected or confirmed as the cause, a code from the 010-018 series should be sequenced first, with an additional code for the pleurisy.