ICD-10 Guide

Abnormal Liver Test

ICD-10 Coding for Abnormal Liver Tests(R94.5, K70.0)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYGastroenterology

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Abnormal Liver Test?

Essential facts and insights about Abnormal Liver Tests

Key Clinical Considerations:

Presence of abnormal liver function tests such as elevated liver enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP, GGT).
Clinical signs and symptoms of liver disease like jaundice, ascites, hepatomegaly.

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Specific abnormal liver test results, including the type of test and the exact abnormal values.
Documented signs and symptoms related to liver disease.

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

R94.5 is used for abnormal liver function studies, while K70.0 is used for alcoholic fatty liver. The correct code depends on the cause of the abnormal liver test.
R94.5 differs from R94.8, which is used for abnormal results of function studies of other organs and systems.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Hepatitis and other specific liver diseases (K70-K77).
Metabolic disorders (E70-E88).

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Gastroenterology

Specialty Applications

Patients with abnormal liver function tests without a clear diagnosis.
Patients with alcoholic fatty liver.

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

Comprehensive clinical documentation
Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
Proper exclusion considerations
Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Template 1

Patient presents with abnormal liver function tests, specifically...

Template 2

Diagnosis of alcoholic fatty liver confirmed by...

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Ensure proper documentation for billing
Verify code specificity requirements
Check for any additional codes needed
Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

Insufficient clinical documentation
Incorrect code selection
Missing supporting diagnoses
Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Can R94.5 be used for patients with hepatitis?

No, hepatitis has its own specific codes (K70-K77). R94.5 is for abnormal liver function tests without a clear diagnosis.

When should K70.0 be used?

K70.0 should be used for patients diagnosed with alcoholic fatty liver.

Abnormal Liver Test

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Template 1

Template 2

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Can R94.5 be used for patients with hepatitis?

When should K70.0 be used?

Abnormal Liver Test

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Template 1

Template 2

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Can R94.5 be used for patients with hepatitis?

When should K70.0 be used?