Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia

This code signifies a rare form of interstitial lung disease characterized by inflammation of the small airways and alveoli, leading to the formation of granulation tissue within the airspaces. The term "cryptogenic" indicates that the cause of the organizing pneumonia is unknown or idiopathic, distinguishing it from secondary forms.

Apply this code when documentation explicitly states "cryptogenic organizing pneumonia" or "idiopathic organizing pneumonia." This diagnosis is typically made after excluding known causes of organizing pneumonia through thorough clinical evaluation, imaging, and often lung biopsy.

• Do not use this code if the underlying cause of the organizing pneumonia is identified (e.g., drug-induced, connective tissue disease-related); instead, code the specific cause.
• Review documentation carefully to ensure "cryptogenic" or "idiopathic" is specified; otherwise, consider J84.89 for other specified interstitial pulmonary diseases.
• This code is an "Excludes1" for J84.89 when referring to organizing pneumonia NOS or due to a known underlying cause, meaning they should never be coded together.