Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Question: The lab received a CSF specimen and performed a cytospin. The lab then smeared a slide for Pap staining and a separate slide for a Gram stain. How should we code this?

Florida Subscriber

Answer: Cytospin is a concentration technique for a fluid (cytopathology) specimen that involves spinning the specimen in a centrifuge to separate the sample into heavier sediment in the bottom of the test tube and fluid in the top of the test tube.

For the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration using centrifugation and the Pap stain, which is common for cytopathology specimens, you should report 88108 (Cytopathology, concentration technique, smears and interpretation (eg, Saccomanno technique)).

The Gram stain is a special stain to detect microorganisms and identify them as Gram positive or negative, which helps to narrow the diagnosis of possible infectious agents in the specimen. You should code the Gram stain as 87205 (Smear, primary source with interpretation; Gram or Giemsa stain for bacteria, fungi, or cell types).