Compliance Question of the Week – Radiology

Our radiology department is removing a G-tube, but there is no CPT® code for this procedure. Is it appropriate for us to charge 99211 (office/outpatient visit established) when performed by a radiologist or technologist?

We are starting to do PET/CT for cardiac sarcoid and have some questions on what CPT® code(s) we should be using for this study. We are also thinking of doing a scan to include the whole torso to look for sarcoid evidence elsewhere in the patient. If we do that can we use the following code?

78815 Positron emission tomography (PET) with concurrently acquired computed tomography (CT) for attenuation correction and anatomical localization imaging; skull base to mid-thigh

Instead of billing CPT® codes 71100 and 71046 together with a -59 modifier on the chest X-ray, should we bill 71101 instead?

Should we code and bill for shoulder arthrography prior to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure?

Is there a modifier that can be assigned for hospital billing in the following example? An incision was made, and anesthesia was administered for an ultrasound-guided liver biopsy. Then, the physician determined the procedure could not be performed so it was discontinued.

Is a physician’s prescription required for Medicare to cover a screening mammography?

What is the correct CPT® code for an ultrasound of an inguinal mass that is found to be an inguinal hernia?

What are the codes for renal stone protocol (CT scan for kidney stones)?

A physician ordered a neck computed tomography (CT) for indication of a palpable neck mass. A few CT images were obtained without contrast with a lead BB (opaque marker) to mark the mass, followed by a complete neck CT with contrast. Can we submit a claim for a CT of the neck without and with contrast?

What code(s) are assigned for an injection of contrast into the knee joint (or into the hip joint) using fluoro prior to computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)?

We attempted a stereotactic breast biopsy, and the patient fainted, so the biopsy was canceled for the day. Do we charge for a stereotactic biopsy with supplies since it was attempted or a unilateral diagnostic mammogram since only images were obtained? The biopsy is rescheduled for a second attempt with sedation.

Our facility is doing epidural steroid injection (ESI) in radiology using fluoro. The patient is an outpatient and does not report to the ambulatory surgical unit before or after the procedure. We are using the following CPT code. What revenue code would be used?

64483 Injection(s), anesthetic agent and/or steroid, transforaminal epidural, with imaging guidance (fluoroscopy or CT); lumbar or sacral, single level