Test yourself to ensure you've aced this year's coding changes.
ICD-9 codes for abdominal and pelvic CTs are amongst those most regularly reported to Medicare by radiologists. In 2011, the adding of several codes implies you have to select among a combination of old and new selections to report these services.
Read this sample case study, selecting the ICD-9 codes you report for 2011 and finding if they line up with the study below.
Read the Report and Choose Your ICD-9 Codes
Header: Abdominal as well as pelvic CT including enhance, CT reformation body
Dictated report: CT of abdomen as well as pelvis
Indication: 26-year-old female presenting with abdominal pain, exclude acute appendicitis
Technique: Adjoining axial images were found from the lung bases over the pubic symphysis followed by the ordinary administration of oral as wll as intravenous contrast, 150 cc Isovue-300 at 3 cc/sec. FOV=32 cm.
Findings: Lung windows reveal subpleural opacity present in the right lower lobe, probably demonstrating atelectasis. No parenchymal nodule or mass inside the visualized lung bases. Besides, no pleural or pericardial effusion found.
The liver, gallbladder, adrenal glands, spleen, pancreas, as well as the kidneys are normal. The bladder is amply bloated devoid of evidence for thickening of bladder wall. Both ovaries are envisioned, comprise normal-appearing follicles. Besides, there is also a 2.1- x 1.4-cm physiologic cyst inside the right ovary.
The appendix is swollen, comprises a few 3- to 4-mm appendicoliths, establishes abnormal bowel wall augmentation, and is connected with moderate nearby periappendiceal fat stranding. The left over bowel is normal. No periappendiceal fluid collection or abscess is found.
Impression: Acute appendicitis.
Narrow Code Choices Based on Anatomic Area
In our sample report, the radiologist keeps a note of the state of the abdominal structures (liver, gallbladder, pancreas, intestines) as well as the pelvic structures (bladder, ovaries).
Old way: Prior to 2011, this info would motivate you to narrow your CPT® choices to 74150-74170 (Computed tomography, abdomen ...) as well as 72192-72194 (Computed tomography, pelvis ...).
New way: Your options change with the addition of 2011 codes that symbolize both abdominal and pelvic CTs in just a single code:
ICD-9 codes for abdominal and pelvic CTs are amongst those most regularly reported to Medicare by radiologists. In 2011, the adding of several codes implies you have to select among a combination of old and new selections to report these services.
Read this sample case study, selecting the ICD-9 codes you report for 2011 and finding if they line up with the study below.
Read the Report and Choose Your ICD-9 Codes
Header: Abdominal as well as pelvic CT including enhance, CT reformation body
Dictated report: CT of abdomen as well as pelvis
Indication: 26-year-old female presenting with abdominal pain, exclude acute appendicitis
Technique: Adjoining axial images were found from the lung bases over the pubic symphysis followed by the ordinary administration of oral as wll as intravenous contrast, 150 cc Isovue-300 at 3 cc/sec. FOV=32 cm.
Findings: Lung windows reveal subpleural opacity present in the right lower lobe, probably demonstrating atelectasis. No parenchymal nodule or mass inside the visualized lung bases. Besides, no pleural or pericardial effusion found.
The liver, gallbladder, adrenal glands, spleen, pancreas, as well as the kidneys are normal. The bladder is amply bloated devoid of evidence for thickening of bladder wall. Both ovaries are envisioned, comprise normal-appearing follicles. Besides, there is also a 2.1- x 1.4-cm physiologic cyst inside the right ovary.
The appendix is swollen, comprises a few 3- to 4-mm appendicoliths, establishes abnormal bowel wall augmentation, and is connected with moderate nearby periappendiceal fat stranding. The left over bowel is normal. No periappendiceal fluid collection or abscess is found.
Impression: Acute appendicitis.
Narrow Code Choices Based on Anatomic Area
In our sample report, the radiologist keeps a note of the state of the abdominal structures (liver, gallbladder, pancreas, intestines) as well as the pelvic structures (bladder, ovaries).
Old way: Prior to 2011, this info would motivate you to narrow your CPT® choices to 74150-74170 (Computed tomography, abdomen ...) as well as 72192-72194 (Computed tomography, pelvis ...).
New way: Your options change with the addition of 2011 codes that symbolize both abdominal and pelvic CTs in just a single code:
CPT 2011 keeps 74150-74170 (abdomen only) and 72192-72194 (pelvis only), but as the sample case denotes an abdominal as well as pelvic CT in the similar session, you will be selecting from new ICD-9 codes 74176-74178, supposing this case has a 2011 date of service.
