Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: Code 75574 (Computed tomographic angiography, heart, coronary arteries and bypass grafts (when present), with contrast material, including 3D image postprocessing (including evaluation of cardiac structure and morphology, assessment of cardiac function, and evaluation of venous structures, if performed)) has “angiography” in its description. However, codes 75571 through 75573 (Computed tomography, heart, with contrast material, for evaluation of cardiac structure and morphology in the setting of congenital heart disease (including 3D image postprocessing, assessment of left ventricular [LV] cardiac function, right ventricular [RV] structure and function and evaluation of vascular structures, if performed)) do not. Does that mean that 75571 through 75573 are just computed tomographic (CT) heart only codes with no angiography?

North Carolina Subscriber

Answer: Yes, that is correct. Code 75574 is the only cardiac CT angiography code in the cardiac CT/CTA code series.

Code 75571 (Computed tomography, heart, without contrast material, with quantitative evaluation of coronary calcium) describes a non-contrast CT of the heart with calcium scoring and should be reported only when calcium scoring is performed as a stand-alone procedure.

Code 75572 (Computed tomography, heart, with contrast material, for evaluation of cardiac structure and morphology (including 3D image postprocessing, assessment of cardiac function, and evaluation of venous structures, if performed) focuses on the cardiac chambers, morphology, and function of the heart without evaluation of the coronary arteries.

Code 75573 (Computed tomography, heart, with contrast material, for evaluation of cardiac structure and morphology in the setting of congenital heart disease (including 3D image postprocessing, assessment of left ventricular [LV] cardiac function, right ventricular [RV] structure and function and evaluation of vascular structures, if performed) is specific to patients with congenital heart disease.

Code 75574 (Computed tomographic angiography, heart, coronary arteries and bypass grafts (when present), with contrast material, including 3D image postprocessing (including evaluation of cardiac structure and morphology, assessment of cardiac function, and evaluation of venous structures, if performed) is a non-invasive angiogram that focuses on the native coronary arteries and bypass grafts if present as well as the evaluation of the structure and morphology of the heart.

Codes 75572-75574 include quantitative and functional assessment (for example, calcium scoring), if performed.