Radiology Coding Alert

Question: How should we report CT of the humerus and wrist of the same arm?

Illinois Subscriber

Answer: A single unit of the appropriate upper extremity CT code covers one or more scans of that extremity. Your code choice depends on contrast use:

• 73200, Computed tomography, upper extremity; without contrast material
• 73201, ... with contrast material(s)
• 73202, ... without contrast material, followed by contrast material(s) and further sections.

Official examples: CPT® Assistant (July 2011) offers the following examples of when a single upper extremity CT code would be appropriate:

• Imaging the forearm, repositioning the arm, and then imaging a forearm joint
• Imaging three parts of the same arm, such as humerus, radius, and wrist.