M48.16 Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], lumbar region

ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M48.16: Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], lumbar region

ICD-10-CM code M48.16 identifies Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier] localized to the lumbar region. This active diagnosis concept is a narrower term under the parent code M48.1. The condition is also known as diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, involving vertebral body pathology, and the code appears in Medicare facet joint intervention billing articles. 1 2 4

Plain-language overview

Forestier's disease, also known as diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, is a pathology of vertebral bodies characterized by exuberant osteophyte formation that can affect the lumbar region. 2

What this code represents

Code M48.16 is an active ICD-10-CM diagnosis concept representing Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier] in the lumbar region, classified under the semantic type of Disease or Syndrome. 1

Coding details

Within the ICD-10-CM terminology, M48.16 is a narrower concept that falls under the parent concept M48.1, which denotes Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier] without regional specification. 1

The official terminology record for M48.16 indicates that this concept has narrower concepts within the ICD-10-CM hierarchy and maintains an active status. 1

Documentation considerations

Medicare billing articles list M48.16 for the lumbar region and M48.17 for the lumbosacral region, showing a coding distinction exists between these adjacent spinal areas. 3 4

Coverage and utilization context

The diagnosis code M48.16 appears in Medicare billing and coding articles for facet joint interventions for pain management alongside other specified dorsopathy codes. 3 4

What the sources add

While the terminology authority defines the code's hierarchical structure, the Medicare billing articles provide operational context by listing M48.16 alongside related dorsopathy codes for claims processing. 1 4

Clinical context

The condition was first described as senile ankylosing hyperostosis of the spine in 1950, and clinical literature notes that the lumbar region is affected in a notable percentage of cases. 2

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM M48.16 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Forestier's disease presenting with dysphagia and disphonia — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. Article - Billing and Coding: Facet Joint Interventions for Pain Management (A58364) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. Article - Billing and Coding: Facet Joint Interventions for Pain Management (A58364) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.