Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: During MUGA scans, we use an Ultratag kit. How should we report this?

Illinois Subscriber

Answer: Code A9560 (Technetium TC-99m labeled red blood cells, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 30 millicuries) describes the Ultratag kit used in multi-gated acquisition (MUGA) scans. The Ultratag method is in vitro and involves drawing the patient's blood, transferring it to a bag or vial, and then adding pertechnetate. About 25 minutes later, staff injects the patient with the labeled red blood cells.

If your payer allows, you also may report A9512 (Technetium TC-99m pertechnetate, diagnostic, per millicurie) for the tagging agent. You may find, however, that payers won't reimburse A9512 when reported with A9560.

You may report the procedure separately, such as with 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).