Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: Which code is appropriate when the cardiologist performs a right heart catheterization and then inserts a catheter into the left ventricle and measures pressures, but there's no mention of an LV gram?Georgia SubscriberAnswer: Depending on your documentation, consider 93526 (Combined right heart catheterization and retrograde left heart catheterization) to describe the service. Code 93526 essentially combines 93501 (Right heart catheterization) and 93510 (Left heart catheterization, retrograde, from the brachial artery, axillary artery, or femoral artery; percutaneous).For the right heart catheterization, CPT notes with 93501 indicate the physician introduces the catheter into the venous system, and then into the right atrium, right ventricle, and pulmonary artery. CPT's notes for 93510 state the service involves inserting a catheter into the arterial system and then the left ventricle.Heart catheterization doesn't require left ventricle imaging (LV gram). CPT guidelines state that diagnostic cardiac catheterization includes:introduction, positioning, and repositioning of cathetersrecording intracardiac and intravascular [...]