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Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

Rate Your Radiopharmaceutical Skills

Published on Tue Apr 10, 2007

Question: What CPT and ICD-9 codes should I report for a patient with a primary prostate neoplasm and skeletal metastases who presents for palliative IV radiopharmaceutical therapy with Strontium 89 for the bone metastases?
Illinois Subscriber Answer: Because the palliative treatment is aimed only at the bone metastases, you should report the metastases (198.5, Secondary malignant neoplasm of other specified sites; bone and bone marrow) as the principal diagnosis. And because the treatment is palliative, you should report V66.7 (Encounter for palliative care). You should also report the primary neoplasm (185, Malignant neoplasm of prostate). To report the procedure, use 79101 (Radiopharmaceutical therapy, by intravenous administration). If you also report the Strontium, assign the appropriate units for A9600 (Strontium Sr-89 chloride, therapeutic, per millicurie).
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