Reader Question:
Coding From X-ray
Question: Is it appropriate to code from an x-ray if the examining physicians original diagnosis is not as specific as the x-ray findings? For example, the physician diagnoses an ankle sprain, yet the x-ray shows a fracture.
California Subscriber
Answer: In this situation, the ED physician would use code 845.0 (sprains and strains of ankle and foot; ankle) because the appropriate code is based on the information available at the time of the ED encounter.
