ICD-10-CM · Spine

M42.12

Degenerative condition of the intervertebral discs and vertebral endplates in the cervical spine occurring in skeletally mature adults, classified under spinal osteochondrosis.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 5 sources ↓

Status: Billable
Chapter: 13
Related CPT: 10
Region: Spine

Drawn from CDCICD10DataAAPCCMS

Documentation tips

What should appear in the chart to support M42.12.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓

Specify the cervical region by name or level (e.g., C3–C5 endplate changes) — 'cervical spine' is sufficient for M42.12, but level detail strengthens medical necessity for imaging and procedures.
Record the patient's age to confirm adult status; M42.12 is age-restricted and will trigger an IOCE adult-diagnosis edit if billed for pediatric patients.
Document imaging findings that support the diagnosis: MRI or CT evidence of endplate irregularity, disc space narrowing, or osteophyte formation in the cervical region.
Note the clinical presentation — axial neck pain, radicular symptoms, or neurologic deficits — to justify associated diagnostic and therapeutic CPT codes.
If degeneration extends into the cervicothoracic junction, document each affected region separately and consider adding M42.13 for the cervicothoracic segment.

Related CPT procedures

Procedure codes commonly billed with M42.12. Linking the right diagnosis to the right procedure is what establishes medical necessity.

Source · CMS LCDs · AAOS specialty guidance · claims-pattern analysis

72141 $190.72

MRI of the cervical spinal canal and its contents performed without contrast material.

72040 $39.75

Radiologic examination of the cervical spine capturing two or three views (e.g., AP, lateral, oblique).

72050 $55.11

Radiologic examination of the cervical spine capturing a minimum of four views, used to evaluate alignment, fractures, degeneration, or other structural pathology of the neck.

99213 $95.19

Established patient office or outpatient visit requiring 20–29 minutes of total time or low-complexity medical decision-making.

99214 $135.61

Office visit for an established patient requiring moderate-complexity medical decision making (MDM), or 30–39 minutes of total provider time on the date of service.

72148 $191.72

Non-contrast MRI of the lumbar spine used to evaluate disc pathology, spinal stenosis, nerve root compression, and other structural abnormalities without administration of contrast material.

97110 $29.06

Therapeutic exercise billed per 15-minute unit, targeting strength, endurance, range of motion, or flexibility with direct one-on-one patient contact.

72142 View procedure details

72156 View procedure details

97012 View procedure details

Common coding pitfalls

The recurring mistakes coders make with M42.12 and adjacent codes.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CDC ICD-10-CM tabular guidance, AAOS coding references, and cited references ↓

Defaulting to M42.12 when cervical disc degeneration (M50.30–M50.32) or cervical spondylosis (M47.812) better reflects the documented diagnosis — confirm the provider specifically documented osteochondrosis, not just DDD or spondylosis.
Using M42.12 for patients under 18; juvenile spinal osteochondrosis maps to M42.02, not M42.12. The IOCE adult-diagnosis edit will flag M42.12 on pediatric encounters.
Failing to add a second code when osteochondrosis spans the cervicothoracic region — M42.12 alone doesn't capture C7–T1 involvement; append M42.13 when documented.
Coding M42.12 as a primary diagnosis when the encounter is driven by a radiculopathy or myelopathy — sequence the neurologic manifestation first if that is the reason for the visit, per ICD-10-CM sequencing guidelines.

Clinical context

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓

M42.12 captures adult osteochondrosis of the spine specifically localized to the cervical region (C1–C7). This distinguishes it from juvenile spinal osteochondrosis (M42.0x) and from adult osteochondrosis at other spinal levels — use M42.11 for the occipito-atlanto-axial region, M42.13 for cervicothoracic, M42.16 for lumbar, etc. The 5th character '2' locks the code to the cervical region; if the documentation spans multiple regions, you'll need additional codes for each segment or consider M42.19 (multiple sites).

The condition involves degeneration of the disc-vertebral endplate complex in adults — distinct from the Scheuermann-type juvenile osteochondrosis. Clinically, providers document it in the context of axial neck pain, radiculopathy, or cervical myelopathy when imaging (MRI or CT) shows endplate changes, disc space narrowing, or osteophyte formation consistent with degenerative disc disease at the cervical level. It is not synonymous with cervical spondylosis (M47.8x) or cervical disc degeneration (M50.3x); verify the provider's intent before defaulting to M42.12 over those more commonly used cervical spine degeneration codes.

For imaging-supported claims, CMS LCD guidance (A57215) requires that documentation include the clinical indication, relevant signs and symptoms, and supporting imaging findings to establish medical necessity for CT or MRI of the cervical spine billed alongside this diagnosis.

Sibling codes

Other billable codes under M42.1 (laterality / anatomic variants).

M42.19

Adult osteochondrosis of spine, multiple sites in spine

M42.13

Adult osteochondrosis of spine, cervicothoracic region

M42.14

Adult osteochondrosis of spine, thoracic region

M42.18

Adult osteochondrosis of spine, sacr/sacrocygl region

M42.15

Adult osteochondrosis of spine, thoracolumbar region

M42.10

Adult osteochondrosis of spine, site unspecified

M42.11

Adult osteochondrosis of spine, occipt-atlan-ax region

M42.16

Adult osteochondrosis of spine, lumbar region

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 5 cited references ↓

01What is the difference between M42.12 and M50.30 (cervical disc degeneration)?

M42.12 is spinal osteochondrosis — a degenerative process involving the vertebral endplates and disc-bone interface — while M50.30 refers specifically to intervertebral disc degeneration of the cervical region. The provider's documented diagnosis drives which code applies; don't interchange them without clinical confirmation.

02Can M42.12 be used for patients under 18?

No. M42.12 is classified as an adult diagnosis. For juvenile spinal osteochondrosis of the cervical region, use M42.02. Billing M42.12 for a pediatric patient will trigger an IOCE age-conflict edit.

03Does M42.12 require a 7th character?

No. M-codes under Chapter 13 do not use 7th-character extensions. The code is complete at 5 characters: M42.12.

04What imaging CPT codes pair with M42.12 for medical necessity?

MRI cervical spine without contrast (72141), with contrast (72142), or with/without contrast (72156) are common pairings. CT cervical spine codes 72040 and 72050 also support this diagnosis when MRI is contraindicated. CMS Article A57215 requires documented clinical indications in the record.

05When should I use M42.19 instead of M42.12?

Use M42.19 (adult osteochondrosis of spine, multiple sites) only when the provider documents osteochondrosis across multiple spinal regions that can't be individually specified. If the cervical region is distinctly documented alongside another region, code each separately — M42.12 plus the appropriate regional code.

06How does M42.12 relate to cervical spondylosis codes like M47.812?

Cervical spondylosis (M47.812) reflects degenerative changes with or without myelopathy/radiculopathy and is more commonly documented in practice. M42.12 is appropriate when the provider specifically documents osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Query the provider if the documentation is ambiguous between the two diagnoses.

07Should M42.12 be sequenced as the principal diagnosis when radiculopathy is also documented?

Not necessarily. When the encounter is driven by cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy, sequence the neurologic condition first per ICD-10-CM general sequencing guidelines. M42.12 may then serve as a secondary code to reflect the underlying structural etiology.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.

Mira AI Scribe

Mira AI Scribe captures the patient's age, the provider's explicit reference to cervical osteochondrosis, and supporting imaging findings (endplate changes, disc space narrowing, osteophyte formation at the cervical level) from the encounter note. That specificity prevents a downcode to a nonbillable parent code (M42.1) or an incorrect crosswalk to cervical DDD (M50.3x), and it satisfies CMS medical necessity documentation requirements when MRI or CT of the cervical spine is ordered.

See how Mira captures M42.12 documentation