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Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Radiation Oncology:

Get Up to Speed on IGRT Coding to Claim Your Imaging Dollars

Published on Tue May 25, 2010

Don't forget to hit the Category III section for your most recently added option.Imaging technology is making it easier to target treatment fields precisely. So be sure your claims hit the mark by mastering the guidance and tracking codes you need to know for image guided radiation therapy.Spotlight the 'I' in IGRT Image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) refers to using imaging "to account for changes in the position of the intended target before or during treatment delivery," according to Part B J12 MAC Highmark's local coverage determination (LCD) L27515.The imaging takes place in the treatment room when the patient presents for therapy.Oncologists may choose IGRT for patients with tumors near or in critical structures or if the tumor is "in tissue with inherent setup variation," Highmark notes. In other words, tumors and normal tissues can change position between fractions or even during a treatment session.For instance: Consider how tumor size [...]
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