RadiologyJ
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In order to perform a needle biopsy, the surgeon needs to perform a CT for proper needle placement. How would the radiological aspect of this procedure be billed?
Correct answer: 77012
In the index of the CPT book, you will look up needle localization, CT guidance. This gives you the code 77012, which can be found in the Radiology section. This code directly translates to computed tomography guidance for needle placement, radiological supervision, and interpretation. This is exactly what the question is asking for, so this would be the correct answer to this question.
Code 77011 is for computed tomography guidance for stereotactic localization. This is
not what the question is asking for, so this would be incorrect. Code 77002 is for fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement. The question is asking for CT guidance, not fluoroscopic guidance, so this would be incorrect. Code 77001 is an add-on code for fluoroscopic guidance for CVA device placement. This is not what the question is asking for, so this would also be incorrect.
Reference:
AMA CPT® 2023 Professional Edition. Pg 551.
A patient is going to have a CT study done due to complaints of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The CT scan will be of the abdomen, without contrast, then with contrast. Since the abdominal pain radiates to the pelvic region of the patient, her physician wants to have a pelvic CT scan done as well, with and without contrast.
How would this be billed?
Correct answer: 74178
In the index of the CPT book, you will look up abdomen, CT scan. This gives you multiple codes/ranges: 74150, 74160, 74170, 74174-74178, and 75635. Turning to the Radiology section, where all these codes are located, you will start with the first list of codes, which is all basically in the same area. You will see that codes 74174-
74178 are for the abdomen and pelvis, which is what the question is asking. The question states that the study is done without contrast at first, then followed by with contrast. The code that perfectly describes this is 74178, which is for a CT scan of the
abdomen and pelvis, without contrast materials, then followed by contrast materials and further sections in one or both body regions. We also see in the question, that the
CT scan of the pelvis uses contrast material, so this also fits the question. Because of all this, code 74178 is the correct answer.
Code 74176 is for a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, without contrast. Even though it is used with the correct code, it is incorrect because you do not need an extra code to correctly explain this situation. Code 74177 is also for a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, with contrast material. This is also coded with the correct code, but again, 74178 does not need an extra code with it; this would not be the correct answer.
Reference:
AMA CPT® 2023 Professional Edition. Pg 532.
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