Cardiology Question for the Week of September 4, 2017

Question:

Is code 93567 to be assigned only for aortic root or ascending aortic imaging? If a true, diagnostic abdominal (75625) or thoracic (75605) aortogram is performed at the same time as a diagnostic cardiac cath study should the radiology S&I CPT^® code continue to be submitted in addition to the diagnostic heart cath codes instead of 93567?

Answer:

An ascending aortogram (root injection) performed during cardiac catheterization is reported using add-on code 93567. Anatomically, the ascending aorta is the section between the heart and the arch of aorta. Add-on code 93567 represents supravalvular aortography, which involves the injection of contrast into the aorta, just above the aortic valve, to image the ascending aorta (for example, when evaluating aortic insufficiency, ascending aortic dissection or ascending aortic aneurysm).

It would be appropriate to additionally report a diagnostic abdominal (75625) orthoracic (75605) aortogram if performed at the same time as a diagnostic cardiac cath study and when performed in addition to supravalvular aortography (93567). Modifier -59 must be assigned to codes 75605 or 75625 if billed with the cardiac catheterization codes.

(For professional services, you will need to append the modifier -26 to the radiology codes. The 93567 does not need a -26 modifier for reporting. Further, these codes are for “separate injections” as stated above, not for additional views.)

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