Radiology Coding Alert

Question: Can we report for MUGA (multigated acquisition) scan with myocardial perfusion imaging? Which codes are MUGA codes? Is MUGA included in myocardial perfusion imaging?

Codify Subscriber

Answer: You do not separately report for MUGA (multigated acquisition) scan when submitting codes for MPI (myocardial perfusion imaging).

MUGA codes: You can look at the following MUGA scan codes:

• 78472, Cardiac blood pool imaging, gated equilibrium; planar, single study at rest or stress (exercise and/or pharmacologic), wall motion study plus ejection fraction, with or without additional quantitative processing
• 78473,  …multiple studies, wall motion study plus ejection fraction, at rest and stress (exercise and/or pharmacologic), with or without additional quantification.

MPI codes: MPI codes 78451(Myocardial perfusion imaging, tomographic [SPECT] [including attenuation correction, qualitative or quantitative wall motion, ejection fraction by first pass or gated technique, additional quantification, when performed]; single study, at rest or stress [exercise or pharmacologic])-78454 (Myocardial perfusion imaging, planar [including qualitative or quantitative wall motion, ejection fraction by first pass or gated technique, additional quantification, when performed]; multiple studies, at rest and/or stress [exercise or pharmacologic] and/or redistribution and/or rest reinjection) all include “qualitative or quantitative wall motion, ejection fraction by first pass or gated technique.”

Catch the clue: The use of the term “gated” is the clue that the MPI codes include MUGA, so you should not report it separately.