Radiology Coding Alert

You will often find your radiologist using a breast localization device to guide the breast biopsy. “Breast localization devices are designed to identify suspicious lesions within breast tissue to be biopsied; the device may be placed utilizing a variety of imaging modalities, including ultrasound, stereotactic, or mammographic,” says Christy Hembree, CPC, Team Leader, Summit Radiology Services, Dallas, TX. “The device serves as a guide to locate the tissue that needs to be biopsied.” When you read your radiologist’s documentation, you’ll look for details that confirm breast localization device utilization.

Clinical work:  If your radiologist used wire guidance, you will read that your physician did a mammogram and then pierced a needle through the skin overlying the breast to have the tip of the needle near the lesion. Then your radiologist will thread a thin wire through the needle and withdraw the needle, leaving the wire as a guide to the lesion. Finally, a repeat mammogram may be done to confirm the positioning of the wire before the wire is secured in place with a bandage. The wire will then be removed during the definitive procedure, during the biopsy or excision of the lesion.