Question: Answer: CMS guidelines state that a physician must confirm a diagnosis based on the test results. If the test results are normal or nondiagnostic, you should code the signs or symptoms that prompted the test. Similarly, the ICD-9 coding guidelines for diagnostic testing instruct you not to "interpret" what a study says, but rather to rely on the physician's stated diagnosis. If the x-ray findings seem like an important component of the case -- and may play a role in substantiating the medical necessity for the visit -- you should query the physician regarding the diagnosis. Choose the CPT x-ray code based on anatomy and how many views the physician's office provided. For example, if your office provided a two-view x-ray of a patient's humerus, you would report 73060 (Radiologic examination; humerus, minimum of two views).