R85.615 Unsatisfactory cytologic smear of anus

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026.

Applicable to

• Inadequate sample of cytologic smear of anus

Applies from R85 Abnormal findings in specimens from digestive organs and abdominal cavity

Includes

• abnormal findings in peritoneal fluid
• abnormal findings in saliva

Excludes1 (never code together)

• cloudy peritoneal dialysis effluent (R88.0)
• fecal abnormalities (R19.5)

Applies from R85.61 Abnormal cytologic smear of anus

Excludes1 (never code together)

• abnormal cytological findings in specimens from other digestive organs and abdominal cavity (R85.69)
• carcinoma in situ of anus (histologically confirmed) (D01.3)
• anal intraepithelial neoplasia I [AIN I] (K62.82)
• anal intraepithelial neoplasia II [AIN II] (K62.82)
• anal intraepithelial neoplasia III [AIN III] (D01.3)
• dysplasia (mild) (moderate) of anus (histologically confirmed) (K62.82)
• severe dysplasia of anus (histologically confirmed) (D01.3)

Excludes2 (not included here)

• anal high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA test positive (R85.81)
• anal low risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA test positive (R85.82)

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 393-395 in MDC 06.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• 796.78 Unsatisfactory anal cytology smear

Code annotations containing back-references to R85.615

Back-references to R85.61

• Type 1 Excludes: K62.82 Dysplasia of anus ("abnormal results from anal cytologic examination without histologic confirmation (R85.61-)")

Diagnosis Index entries for R85.615

• Abnormal, abnormality, abnormalities › cytology › anus › inadequate smear
• Abnormal, abnormality, abnormalities › cytology › anus › unsatisfactory smear
• Abnormal, abnormality, abnormalities › Papanicolaou (smear) › anus › inadequate smear
• Abnormal, abnormality, abnormalities › Papanicolaou (smear) › anus › unsatisfactory smear
• Inadequate, inadequacy › sample of cytologic smear › anus
• Unsatisfactory › sample of cytologic smear › anus

Nearby codes

• R85.610 Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance on cytologic smear of anus (ASC-US)
• R85.611 Atypical squamous cells cannot exclude high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion on cytologic smear of anus (ASC-H)
• R85.612 Low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion on cytologic smear of anus (LGSIL)
• R85.613 High grade squamous intraepithelial lesion on cytologic smear of anus (HGSIL)
• R85.614 Cytologic evidence of malignancy on smear of anus
• R85.615 Unsatisfactory cytologic smear of anus (this code)
• R85.616 Satisfactory anal smear but lacking transformation zone
• R85.618 Other abnormal cytological findings on specimens from anus
• R85.619 Unspecified abnormal cytological findings in specimens from anus
• R85.69 Abnormal cytological findings in specimens from other digestive organs and abdominal cavity
• R85.7 Abnormal histological findings in specimens from digestive organs and abdominal cavity