Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: Under local anesthesia, the physician made a small incision in the patient’s skin at the groin. They then placed a guidewire through a sheath, inserted a catheter into an artery, and guided the catheter to a first-order branch artery of the accessed vessel, which was the area of focus. The physician injected contrast material through the catheter and visualized blood vessels through several sets of X-ray and/or fluoroscopic images. How should I report this?

Maine Subscriber

Answer: You should report 36245 (Selective catheter placement, arterial system; each first order abdominal, pelvic, or lower extremity artery branch, within a vascular family) on your claim.

Don’t miss: This particular CPT^® code is for selective placement of the catheter in each first order abdominal, pelvic, or lower extremity artery branch, within a vascular family.