Radiology Coding Alert

Question: I’m working on a unilateral right hip with pelvis X-ray. The provider has documented a single frontal view of the pelvis along with oblique views of the right hip. However, I can’t seem figure out if the provider performed two or three totals views. Can you perform more than one oblique view on a unilateral hip X-ray?

New Jersey Subscriber

Answer: This is an important question despite the fact that you will report the service with code 73502 (Radiologic examination, hip, unilateral, with pelvis when performed; 2-3 views) with modifier RT (Right Side) if the radiologist documents one or two oblique views.

In X-ray imaging of the hip, the radiologist can either perform a single oblique view or two oblique views. In performing an oblique view, the provider is imaging the patient’s hips turned at a 30-degree angle to the right, left, or both. More often, the provider will perform obliques on both sides. So, for a bilateral hip X-ray with obliques imaged on both sides, you could have a maximum of four oblique views and a minimum of two oblique views. In this example, the provider’s reference to “obliques” is sufficient documentation that two oblique views were imaged.