Cardiology Question for the Week of February 27, 2017

Question:

The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology recommends nuclear medicine imaging code 78803 or 78800 with A9538 (for PYP) for patients with cardiac amyloidosis. Would either of the 788XX codes above be the correct CPT for this exam?

Answer:

If you do a SPECT study for amyloidosis, then you should assign the following code:

78803 Radiopharmaceutical localization of tumor or distribution of radiopharmaceutical agent(s); tomographic (SPECT)

If you don’t do SPECT imaging, then you would assign this code:

78800 Radiopharmaceutical localization of tumor or distribution of radiopharmaceutical agent(s); limited area

Limited planar imaging is included in the SPECT study; therefore, CPT code 78803 reflects the full service performed when both planar and SPECT imaging are performed. To report the radiopharmaceutical used, assign HCPCS Level II code A9538—technetium Tc-99M pyrophosphate (PYP), diagnostic, per study dose, up to 25 millicuries.

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