ICD-10 Code J84.115 – Respiratory bronchiolitis interstitial lung disease (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J84.115 – Respiratory bronchiolitis interstitial lung disease
What it is
J84.115 identifies respiratory bronchiolitis interstitial lung disease, a smoking-related interstitial lung disorder. It refers to inflammation and pigment-laden macrophage accumulation in the small airways and nearby lung tissue.
Clinical signs
Common findings include chronic cough, shortness of breath, and an interstitial pattern on imaging. Clinical features vary; refer to documentation for biopsy, CT, or pulmonology findings supporting this specific diagnosis.
When to use this code
Use this code when the provider documents respiratory bronchiolitis interstitial lung disease, respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease, or a clearly equivalent diagnosis. Apply it only when the record supports the interstitial lung disease component, not isolated smoking-related bronchiolitis. If the note is unclear, check documentation.
Do not use for
Do not use it for nonspecific chronic cough, COPD, or smoking history alone. Also avoid it when the chart only mentions bronchiolitis without interstitial lung disease.
Coding tip
Confirm the full documented diagnosis wording, because the presence of “interstitial lung disease” changes code selection.