# Abdominal aortography  75625, 75630



## jbassett1 (Dec 13, 2016)

If a report states only findings on the distal aorta, can an abdominal aortagraphy be billed (75625 or 75630)?    What is considered a *'complete' *aortagram?    

ZHealth says: imaging of the abdominal aorta, not just the distal most aspect of the aorta.   This distal most portion of the aorta is incidentally and routinely seen when a pigtail catheter is injected at the level of the aortic bifurcation for the purpose of bilateral lower extremity angiography and is part of code 75716.

SuperCoder says:   abdominal aortagraphy is part of the aorta and a continuation of the descending aorta from the _thorax_, it divides further into iliac arteries.


To bill a 75630, does this require more details on the aorta besides the distal portion prior to runoff details?


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## amandamkcj (Jan 17, 2017)

The abdominal aorta is the section of the aorta from the 12th thoracic vertebra descending to the bifurcation into the iliac arteries at the level of the 4th lumbar vertebra. 

Typically 75630 the catheter is placed in the aorta around the level above the renal arteries and imaging of the aorta and the extremities is performed from this one catheter placement, even if more than one injection of contrast is made from the same location, only code 75630 would be reported.

When the catheter is placed in the aorta at the level of the aorta where the iliac arteries bifurcate, and imaging of the extremities is performed from this one catheter position this would be an extremity angiogram (75710/75716)...if a significant segment of the abdominal aorta is also studied and documented/interpreted than it would be appropriate to code 75630 instead.  

Without seeing your report if the angiography interpretation is only of the bifurcation and iliacs than I would not report at 75625 or 75630 but rather only the 75710/75716

All of this information I have compiled from both Medlearn and ZHealth seminars.
I hope the above information is helpful,
Amanda RCC, CPC, CIRCC


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