K51
Non-billableUlcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis
This is a header/category code. For billing purposes, use a more specific child code from the list below.
Coding Notes
Includes
Conditions included under this code
- noninfective inflammatory bowel disease
Excludes 1
Codes that cannot be used together with this code (mutual exclusion)
Excludes 2
Conditions not included here, but the patient may have both
- •certain conditions originating in the perinatal periodP04-P96
- •certain infectious and parasitic diseasesA00-B99
- •complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperiumO9A)O00
- •congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalitiesQ00-Q99
- •endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseasesE00-E88
- •injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causesS00-T88
- •neoplasmsC00-D49
- •symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classifiedR00-R94
Use Additional Code
Additional codes that should follow this code
- code to identify any associated fistulas, if applicable:
- •anal fistulaK60.3
- •anorectal fistulaK60.5
- •rectal fistulaK60.4
Child Codes (7)
ICD-11 Equivalents(1)
ICD-11 Equivalents
View full mappingCorresponding ICD-11 codes from the WHO crosswalk mapping
Also Known As / Clinical Terms(18)
UMLS
- Colitis GravisC0009324
- Colitis gravisC0009324
- Colitis ulcerativeC0009324
- Colitis ulcerosaC0009324
- Colitis, UlcerativeC0009324
- Idiopathic ProctocolitisC0009324
- Idiopathic proctocolitisC0009324
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Ulcerative Colitis TypeC0009324
- Inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis typeC0009324
- Proctocolitis, idiopathicC0009324
- UC - ulcerative colitisC0009324
- ULCERATIVE COLITISC0009324
- Ulcerative ColitisC0009324
- Ulcerative colitisC0009324
- Ulcerative colitis (disorder)C0009324
- Ulcerative colitis, unspecifiedC0009324
- colitis ulcerativeC0009324
- ulcerative colitisC0009324
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ICD-10 code for ulcerative colitis?
The ICD-10-CM code for ulcerative colitis is K51. The full clinical description is "Ulcerative colitis". K51 is a non-billable header code. Use a more specific child code for billing purposes.
What does ICD-10 code K51 mean?
ICD-10-CM code K51 represents “Ulcerative colitis”. It is classified under Chapter 11: Diseases of the Digestive System and is a non-billable header code. Use a more specific child code for billing purposes.
Is K51 a billable code?
No, K51 is a non-billable header code. You need to use one of its more specific child codes for billing. There are 7 child codes under K51.
What chapter is K51 in?
K51 is in Chapter 11: Diseases of the Digestive System (codes K00-K95).
What codes cannot be used with K51?
K51 has Excludes1 notes indicating codes that cannot be used together with it, including: irritable bowel syndrome (K58.-); megacolon (K59.3-); Crohn's disease [regional enteritis] (K50.-).
What are the subcategories under K51?
K51 has 7 child codes, including: K51.0 (Ulcerative (chronic) pancolitis), K51.2 (Ulcerative (chronic) proctitis), K51.3 (Ulcerative (chronic) rectosigmoiditis), K51.4 (Inflammatory polyps of colon), and 3 more.
Are additional codes required with K51?
Yes, when using K51, also report: any associated fistulas, if applicable:; anal fistula (K60.3-); anorectal fistula (K60.5-); rectal fistula (K60.4-).
What are the UMLS CUIs for K51?
K51 is linked to 1 UMLS Concept Unique Identifier: C0009324. The UMLS (Unified Medical Language System) integrates multiple biomedical vocabularies maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
How does K51 relate to ICF functioning codes?
ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) codes describe how conditions like ulcerative colitis affect a person's functioning — body functions, activities, participation, and environmental factors. AutoICD provides ICF Core Sets for 12+ conditions and can map clinical text to ICF categories automatically. Browse the ICF directory to explore functioning codes.
What is the ICD-11 equivalent of K51?
K51 maps to the ICD-11 code: DD71.Z (Ulcerative colitis, unspecified).
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Includes SNOMED Clinical Terms® (SNOMED CT®) used by permission of SNOMED International. Includes content from the UMLS Metathesaurus, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.