# 19101 vs 19120



## Mklaubauf (Jul 9, 2012)

What is the difference from 19101 to 19120 when you do a breast biopsy.   The wording is almost the same.  What should I be looking for.

Marci


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## FTessaBartels (Jul 10, 2012)

*19101 vs 19102*

I think you mean 19101 vs 191*02*  (19120 is an excision).

19101 is an *open incisional *biopsy
19102 is a *percutaneous needle *biopsy

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC


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## mrsseeling (Sep 9, 2013)

*biopsy vs excision of cyst*

What is the difference between 19101 "biopsy of breast" and 19120 excision of cyst? 
My doctor says...
"I made a transverse incision overlying the mass and dissected down to the level of the breast tissue.  The mass was easily palpable and I dissected around the mass. The mass was clearly a multiobular macroscopic cyst and this was completely removed."
Is this an exicsion of a cyst since the doctor took out the entire mass? Or is it just a biopsy since he sent the tissue and mass off the pathologic review?


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## koatsj (Sep 9, 2013)

It was an exicision as he excised the whole mass. If he just took a portion of it then it would be a biopsy. In your case, I would go with 19120.


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## BEARDOG (Sep 16, 2013)

Mklaubauf said:


> What is the difference from 19101 to 19120 when you do a breast biopsy.   The wording is almost the same.  What should I be looking for.
> 
> Marci



Try to remember it this way: 19101 incisional biopsy means that an incision was made, the mass was located but only a small piece (or pieces) were removed.  The bulk of the mass remains in the breast tissue. 19120 is an excisional biopsy which means the entire mass was removed from the breast tissue.  If it is a very large mass they will sometimes just do an incisional biopsy (19101) to get a diagnosis as sometimes chemo is given to shrink a malignant tumour down before further surgical intervention is done. 
I hope that helps a little.


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