ICD-10 Code K31.A1 – Gastric intestinal metaplasia without dysplasia (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code K31.A1 – Gastric intestinal metaplasia without dysplasia
What it is
K31.A1 identifies gastric intestinal metaplasia in the stomach lining when no dysplasia is present. It means the stomach’s normal cells have changed to an intestinal-type pattern, but there is no documented precancerous dysplastic change.
Clinical signs
This finding is usually made on biopsy, often during endoscopy for gastritis, ulcer evaluation, or surveillance. Clinical features vary; refer to documentation, since many patients have no specific symptoms tied to the metaplasia itself.
When to use this code
Use K31.A1 when pathology clearly documents gastric intestinal metaplasia and specifically states that dysplasia is absent. Code it for confirmed biopsy results, not for suspected metaplasia or nonspecific gastritis alone. If the report is unclear, check documentation before assigning the code.
Do not use for
Do not use this code when dysplasia is present, because that requires different coding. Also avoid it for general gastritis, ulcer disease, or intestinal metaplasia in another organ; those need separate documentation and coding.
Coding tip
Code only when the pathology report explicitly says “without dysplasia”; if that phrase is missing, verify the final diagnosis first.