R78 ICD-10-CA category: Findings of drugs and other substances, not normally found in blood
R78 isn’t a code on its own. Choose one of the 10 codes beneath it, the one the documentation supports.
Official description
R78Findings of drugs and other substances, not normally found in blood
ICD-10-CA · Canada
Codes in R78
R78 isn’t a code on its own. Open the code that matches what the note documents.
R78.0Finding of alcohol in bloodR78.1Finding of opiate drug in bloodR78.2Finding of cocaine in bloodR78.3Finding of hallucinogen in bloodR78.4Finding of other drugs of addictive potential in bloodR78.5Finding of psychotropic drug in bloodR78.6Finding of steroid agent in bloodR78.7Finding of abnormal level of heavy metals in bloodR78.8Finding of other specified substances, not normally found in bloodR78.9Finding of unspecified substance, not normally found in bloodNotes for R78
As CIHI prints them, with any note R78 takes from the headings above it.
Excludes
Conditions classified elsewhere.
- Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use (F10-F19)
- Abnormalities (of)(on):• antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)• coagulation (D65-D68)• lipids (E78.-)• platelets and thrombocytes (D69.-)• white blood cells classified elsewhere (D70-D72)diagnostic abnormal findings classified elsewhere - see Alphabetical Indexhaemorrhagic and haematological disorders of fetus and newborn (P50-P61)From R70-R79 Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis
- Abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96)From Chapter 18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)
Note
- Signs and symptoms that point rather definitely to a given diagnosis have been assigned to a category in other chapters of the classification. In general, categories in this chapter include the less well-defined conditions and symptoms that, without the necessary study of the case to establish a final diagnosis, point perhaps equally to two or more diseases or to two or more systems of the body. Practically all categories in the chapter could be designated "not otherwise specified", "unknown etiology" or "transient". The Alphabetical Index should be consulted to determine which symptoms and signs are to be allocated here and which to other chapters. The residual subcategories, numbered .8, are generally provided for other relevant symptoms that cannot be allocated elsewhere in the classification.The conditions and signs or symptoms included in categories (R00-R99) consist of:(a) cases for which no more specific diagnosis can be made even after all the facts bearing on the case have been investigated;(b) signs or symptoms existing at the time of initial encounter that proved to be transient and whose causes could not be determined;(c) provisional diagnoses in a patient who failed to return for further investigation or care;(d) cases referred elsewhere for investigation or treatment before the diagnosis was made;(e) cases in which a more precise diagnosis was not available for any other reason;(f) certain symptoms, for which supplementary information is provided, that represent important problems in medical care in their own right.From Chapter 18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)
Where R78 sits
- 1ChapterChapter 18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)
- 2Block R70-R79Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis
- 3Category R78Findings of drugs and other substances, not normally found in blood
Source and release
- Data release
- ICD-10-CA · FY 2026–2027
- Effective date
- Apr 1, 2026
- Publisher
- CIHI
This page is built from the ICD-10-CA catalog that Vero Codes reads when it suggests codes: Canadian Institute for Health Information’s FY 2026–2027 release, imported from the publisher’s file and checked against it. The description, notes and structured data come from the same record.
Frequently asked questions
Is R78 a valid ICD-10-CA code?
No. R78 (Findings of drugs and other substances, not normally found in blood) is a category heading in CIHI’s ICD-10-CA FY 2026–2027 release. It holds 10 codes; record the one the documentation supports.
Where is R78 in ICD-10-CA?
R78 sits under R70-R79 Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis, within Chapter 18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99).
What coding notes apply to R78?
ICD-10-CA lists Excludes, Note notes for R78, including those from the headings it sits under. They are listed on this page with where each one comes from.
Which ICD-10-CA release does this page use?
It uses CIHI’s FY 2026–2027 release, in effect from Apr 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027. It is a reference: confirm the code against the current list and the payer’s rules before you submit it.
Codes beside R78
View R70-R79R70Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and abnormality of plasma viscosityR71Abnormality of red blood cellsR72Abnormality of white blood cells, not elsewhere classifiedR73Elevated blood glucose levelR74Abnormal serum enzyme levelsR75Laboratory evidence of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]R76Other abnormal immunological findings in serumR77Other abnormalities of plasma proteinsR79Other abnormal findings of blood chemistry