Reader Question:
Do This on Puncture Aspiration of Breast Cyst
Published on Fri Nov 10, 2023
Question: The ED physician performs puncture aspiration on a solitary cyst in a patient’s right breast. During the aspiration, the physician used ultrasound (US) guidance for needle placement. How should I report this encounter?
AAPC Forum Subscriber
Answer: Yes, you can code for the US guidance. On the claim, report:
- 19000 (Puncture aspiration of cyst of breast) for the puncture aspiration
- 76942 (Ultrasonic guidance for needle placement (eg, biopsy, aspiration, injection, localization device), imaging supervision and interpretation) for the US guidance
- N60.01 (Solitary cyst of right breast) appended to 19000 and 76942 to represent the patient’s condition.