Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Brachytherapy is a highly complex procedure which translates into highly complex coding. The clinical complexity is due to the fact that radioactive elements are carefully placed in the patient's body to treat the tumor, says Cindy Parman, CPC, CPC-H, co-owner of Coding Strategies Inc., an Atlanta-based firm that supports more than 1,350 specialty physicians.

Delivery methods are often intracavitary or interstitial. For instance, radioactive seeds are placed directly in the prostate gland to treat prostate cancer. "Brachytherapy improves control of the local disease, treats areas at high risk for recurrence, preserves vital organ function and minimizes tissue damage to surrounding healthy tissue," she says.