Radiology Coding Alert

Question: How can we report ultrasound of transplanted kidneys done without duplex Doppler? Does the code 76776 apply to ultrasound without Doppler? Is this code not specific to ultrasound with Doppler?

Missouri Subscriber

Answer: As you mentioned, ultrasounds of transplanted kidneys are nearly always performed with real-time imaging and Doppler, and the most specific code is 76776 (Ultrasound, transplanted kidney, real-time and duplex Doppler with image documentation) to reflect this standard.

If your physician performs ultrasound of a transplanted kidney without Doppler, you submit code 76775 (Ultrasound, retroperitoneal [e.g., renal, aorta, nodes], real-time with image documentation; limited).

Tip: When you do report 76776, you shouldn’t report 93975 (Duplex scan of arterial inflow and venous outflow of abdominal, pelvic, scrotal contents and/or retroperitoneal organs; complete study) or 93976 (... limited study).