Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: I’m coding cardiac shunt detection by echocardiography. I found code 78428 that is defined as “cardiac shunt detection.” Is that the right code?

Iowa Subscriber

Answer: Code 78428 (Cardiac shunt detection) is specific to nuclear imaging, so it is not the correct code for your case. You should use an echocardiography code. Check 93303-93355 for echo services.

Tip: Code 78428 doesn’t specify nuclear medicine in the descriptor, but it is located in the Nuclear Medicine Procedures section of CPT®. The service it describes is essentially obsolete, so you’re unlikely to ever report the code.