Radiology Coding Alert
Identify Descriptive Differences Between 76981, 76982
Question: What is the difference between the new 2019 elastography codes 76981 and 76892? Hawaii Subscriber Answer: As of 2019, CPT® deleted the temporary ultrasound elastography code +0346T (Ultrasound, elastography (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)) and replaced it with codes 76981 (Ultrasound, elastography; parenchyma (eg, organ)) and 76982 (Ultrasound, elastography; first target lesion). Elastography, simply put, is a screening procedure performed by ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that examines the elastic properties of tissue or organs. By doing so, elastography can make diagnostic inferences to the pathological processes affecting the imaged site. The difference between the two procedures depends on the type of tissue being examined. For instance, if you are performing a US elastography procedure on diseased liver tissue, you’d opt for 76981 since the provider is imaging an organ. On the other hand, if the provider performs a US elastography on diseased tissue not affecting a particular internal organ, you would report code 76982.
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