Radiology Question for the Week of October 24, 2022
What keywords need to be in the radiology report to assign a CTA code?
What keywords need to be in the radiology report to assign a CTA code?
Usually, we instruct coders that if three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of images is not described in the medical report, it is appropriate to code for a CT study and not a CTA study. This situation most often arises when physicians dictate notes following a CT of the chest for pulmonary embolism. Often physicians identify such a study as a CTA because during the study they are looking at vessels, but such a study is not really a CTA for coding purposes. When coding a CTA of the abdominal aorta with runoffs (code 75635), if the coder does not see a dictation specifying that a 3D postprocessing technique was used, should the coder code for a CT of the abdomen with contrast, a CT of the right leg with contrast, and a CT of the left leg with contrast? The 3D requirement for a CTA study when coding abdomen with runoff creates an issue if the physician does not document a 3D postprocessing technique.
If the dictated report states “CT volumetric acquisition was performed,” should a CTA study be reported?
CT of the head without contrast is performed in the morning, and a CT of the head with contrast is performed on the same day in the afternoon. Is it correct to code this scenario using 70450 with 70460 separately accompanied by modifier 59, or choose just 70470?
What exactly does 0508T define? Is there any modifier that needs to be reported with this service?
How do you know when it is appropriate to report code 36218 for additional 2nd or 3rd order vessels selectively catheterized?
Can extremity angiography codes 75710 and 75716 be assigned for selective and non-selective imaging?
For lower extremity incompetent veins treatment services, what code would I report for the chemical ablation of incompetent extremity veins?
Should we report a separate S & I code with intravascular stent codes? Do we charge for angioplasty separately when reporting these codes?
What code would we report for arterial mechanical thrombectomy?
What codes would we report for interventions in the central segment of the dialysis circuit?
What is the correct way to code for an imaging study of an ileal conduit when the injection is performed near where the conduit empties into the external drainage bag (i.e., the skin side of the conduit)?
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