Radiology Coding Alert
Recognize When to Report Multiple Contrast Units
Question: I’m new to radiology coding and I have a HCPCS Level II coding question. A patient presented for a positron emission technology (PET) scan. The provider injected the patient with 10.2 millicuries of Florbetaben contrast during the study. How many units of Q9983 should I report? Florida Subscriber Answer: You’ll assign two units of Q9983 (Florbetaben f18, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 8.1 millicuries) to report the contrast use. The HCPCS Level II code descriptor calls out “up to 8.1 millicuries.” This means that one unit of Q9983 accounts for the first 8.1 millicuries, while the second unit covers the remaining 2.1 millicuries. Since Q9983 features “up to” in the descriptor, the provider doesn’t have to use the full 8.1 millicuries during the exam. The code is valid for any use of the contrast as long as the dosage is 8.1 millicuries or less. Florbetaben is a radiopharmaceutical that providers use to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease or other cognitive conditions in adult patients. The radiopharmaceutical is made of a pharmaceutical and radioactive agents, which help providers easily visualize the body structures on the PET scan.
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