Radiology Coding Alert

Question: If I'm coding radioactive tracer injection to identify a sentinel node, but there's no imaging, what code should I report? They used a hand-held gamma probe at the biopsy.

Texas Subscriber

Answer: When you aren't coding lymphoscintigraphy imaging, you should report 38792 (Injection procedure; for identification of sentinel node).

Don't miss: If the radiologist injected the radiopharmaceutical and performs lymph node imaging at the same session, you should only report the imaging (78195, Lymphatics and lymph nodes imaging). A note with 78195 reminds you that 38792 is for sentinel node identification without scintigraphy imaging.
 
 -- The answers for You Be the Coder and Reader Questions were reviewed by Jackie Miller, RHIA, CPC, senior consultant with Coding Strategies Inc. in Powder Springs, Ga.