# Dexa icd 10 coding



## ambergary (Mar 10, 2018)

Can someone please shed some light on how they code dexa scans. Here is the scenario:

Pt presents for baseline dexa, clinical indication of breast cancer and is post menopausal. Since the pt is positive for breast cancer and is post menopausal would this be considered a diagnostic exam eventhough the pt is not presenting with any current bone density signs or symptoms? per coding guidelines the exam would no longer be considered a screening if pt is symptomatic. But this is the patients Baseline exam. I fully understand that chemo and being postmenopausal presents its own bone density issues but since this is the baseline should it not be a screening with the clinical indications listed secondary?

Thanks for any and all input!!

Amber


----------



## mitchellde (Mar 10, 2018)

It is diagnostic due to the patient having breast cancer.  It is part of the staging process to determine if there is any progression of the neoplasm.  We always use the neoplasm diagnosis for these studies.


----------

