Is Contrast Required to Report 62290?
Question: Our interventional radiology (IR) department uses saline during discography injection procedures, but I thought the physician needed to inject contrast material to report 62290. Below is an example of a discography report: Fluoroscopically Guided discogram Clinical Information: Low back pain Procedure: Informed consent was obtained. Maximum sterile barrier technique utilized; 1 percent lidocaine used for local anesthesia. Using fluoroscopic guidance, the L3/4 disc was accessed with a 20-gauge spinal needle. The patient’s pain quality was reproduced at this level. Fentanyl and Versed used for conscious sedation (30 minutes). The patient tolerated the procedure well with no immediate complication. Impression: Successful fluoroscopically guided L3/4 discogram with positive results for pain reproduction. Note: Fluoro time 0.5 minutes and one image acquired. Is contrast required to report 62290 with 72295? Michigan Subscriber Answer: No, contrast material is not required to report 62290 (Injection procedure for discography, each level; lumbar) for a discography procedure reported with 72295 (Discography, lumbar, radiological supervision and interpretation). Re-creating the patient’s back pain is part of the diagnostic examination. The exam is also known as a discogram, or disc stimulation, and physicians perform the test to identify damage to the vertebra causing back or neck pain. Mike Shaughnessy, BA, CPC, Development Editor, AAPC
