Radiology Question for the Week of September 16, 2019

Question:

Both planar and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) bone scan images of the lumbar spine were obtained. Would you report both 78300 and 78320?

Answer:

You can’t code a limited nuclear medicine imaging scan with a SPECT scan. SPECT includes any limited planar imaging. Assign only code 78320. That’s true in any body area if you do limited imaging with SPECT code only the SPECT. Particularly within the bone scans, the only two codes that may be reported together are 78306 (whole-body imaging) and 78320 (SPECT).

78320 Bone and/or joint imaging; tomographic (SPECT)
78306 Bone and/or joint imaging; whole body
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