Radiology Coding Alert

Question: If the radiologist uses the right femoral vein as an access point, advances the catheter, injects contrast, and takes images in the right pulmonary artery,should I choose a selective cath code? Arizona Subscriber Answer: Yes, this is selective. The service as described would merit 36014 (Selective catheter placement, left or right pulmonary artery). (And dont forget 75741 [Angiography, pulmonary, unilateral, selective, radiological supervision and interpretation] for the supervision and interpretation). You have to pay attention to anatomical descriptive terms when coding pulmonary cath placement. Main: If the radiologist had advanced the cath only to the main pulmonary artery level, you would have reported 36013 (Introduction of catheter, right heart or main pulmonary artery). Note that the main pulmonary artery (or pulmonary trunk) originates in the hearts right ventricle, is only about two inches long, and branches into the left and right pulmonary arteries. Left and right: As in your [...]