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Radiology Coding Alert

READER QUESTION ~ Decide Whether MIP Merits 3D Code

Published on Sun Jan 15, 2006

Question: We are doing MIPs on pulmonary emboli chest CT scan cases. When we perform MIPs, should we report 76376 (3D rendering with interpretation and reporting of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, or other tomographic modality ...) or 76377 ?

Connecticut Subscriber Answer: If you're doing a scan of the chest for pulmonary emboli and you're also performing MIPs (maximum intensity projection), you are probably doing a CTA rather than a plain CT scan. In that case, you would report 71275, Computed tomographic angiography, chest (noncoronary), without contrast material(s), followed by contrast material(s) and further sections, including image postprocessing. 

Image postprocessing is the distinguishing factor that separates CT from CTA.

Term: A maximum intensity projection (MIP) is a volume visualization method for 3D data that requires postprocessing.
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