Radiology Coding Alert
Cancer Diagnoses
Tennessee Subscriber
Answer: Diagnosis coding in this instance may depend on a variety of factors. If the patient is being treated for breast cancer, assign the breast-cancer code as the primary diagnosis (174.9, malignant neoplasm of female breast; breast [female], unspecified). If the course of treatment has been completed, V10.3 (personal history of malignant neoplasm; breast) should be reported.
Sometimes, the CT scans may be prompted by specific signs or symptoms like bone pain. The studies may then be reported with 733.90 (disorder of bone and cartilage, unspecified), with 174.9 reported as the secondary reason for the encounter.
Radiology Coding Alert
- Digitized, Screening-Mammogram Code Tops Changes for 2002
Changes to CPT Codes for 2002 will be announced officially in mid-November during [...] - CMS Changes to Diagnostic-Ordering Rules Fall Short
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS, formerly HCFA) announced much-anticipated modifications to the [...] - You Be the Coder:
Right and Left Angiograms
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the [...] - Signs & Symptoms Versus Findings:
ICD-9 Coding for Diagnostic Tests Also Clarified
CMS also recently issued Program Memorandum B-01-61 clarifying whether signs and symptoms or definitive diagnoses [...] - Reader Question:
Adrenal-Mass Biopsy
Question: How should our practice report a CT-guided needle biopsy of an adrenal mass?
Iowa Subscriber [...] - Reader Question:
Cancer Diagnoses
Question: We recently saw a patient who was diagnosed with breast cancer, but the physician [...] - Reader Question:
Sickle-Cell Strokes
Question: We recently performed a transcranial Doppler study on a patient who has sickle-cell disease [...] - Reader Question:
Code Chest Pain to Highest Specificity
Question: I know that the chest pain diagnosis codes require a fifth digit, but I [...]
