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Radiology Coding Alert

Interventional Radiology:

35476 Accuracy Hinges on AV Shunt Segment Definitions

Published on Fri May 04, 2012

Pinpoint arterial code opportunities by understanding the exception to the venous rule. Ignoring guidelines is a surefire way to get arteriovenous shunt intervention coding all wrong. To keep your claims pristine, take care to apply these crucial CPT® definitions and rules. For review: To learn more about diagnostic shunt studies, see Radiology Coding Alert, vol. 14, no. 4, "Guidelines in Focus: 36147 Features Official Includes/ Excludes Rules in 2012." Intervention Comprehension Starts With Anatomy To master proper coding for arteriovenous (AV) shunt interventions, you have to know that "the AV shunt is artificially divided into two vessel segments," according to CPT® guidelines. This is important because you calculate the number of interventions based on the number of segments involved rather than the number of lesions. Segment 1: The peripheral segment extends from the peri-arterial (near the artery) anastomosis through the axillary vein. If the shunt has a cephalic venous outflow [...]
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