Wiki Radiology - 72082

[nebryose@gmail.com]

Hello, I have a question I am hoping someone can help me with. So if the radiologist wants to do a scoliosis study 2 views (72082), but also wants to do flexion and extension views on the lumbar only. How would you code that? Would it be the 72082 and the 72120? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
David M.

 

[Cynthia Hughes]

scoliosis studies

Here is guidance from the Medicaid NCCI manual that may be adopted by other payers.
"CPT codes 72081-72084 describe radiologic examination of the entire spine, the codes differing based on the number of views. The other codes in the CPT code range 72020-72120 describe radiologic examination of specific regions of the spine differing based on the region of the spine and the number of views. If a physician performs a procedure described by CPT codes 72081-72084 and at the same patient encounter performs a procedure described by one or more other codes in the CPT code range 72020-72120, the physician should sum the total number of views and report the appropriate code in the CPT code range 72081-72084. The physician should not report a code from the CPT code range 72081-72084 plus another code in the CPT code range 72020-72120 for services performed at the same patient encounter."

Hope that is helpful.
Cindy

 

[nebryose@gmail.com]

Thank you, I appreciate it!

David M.