Prepare for New Prostate Procedure CPT® Codes in 2026
Get to know the new in-bore prostate biopsy codes. With 2026 approaching, urology coders will want to take note of upcoming changes to the CPT® code book. The book contains several codes dealing with prostate surgeries, prostate biopsies, and laparoscopic surgical procedures. Read on to learn about the CPT® 2026 urology changes, so you can be ready when the codes go into effect on January 1. Check Out These New Prostate Surgery Codes CPT® 2026 will add two new codes to the Vesical Neck and Prostate set (52400-52700) of the Urinary System section of the code book. These new codes are: Also, code 52647 (Laser coagulation of prostate, including control of postoperative bleeding, complete (vasectomy, meatotomy, cystourethroscopy, urethral calibration and/or dilation, and internal urethrotomy are included if performed)) will be deleted from the code book at the start of the new year. Tip: Check and see if your physicians perform any procedures resembling the above descriptors on their patients. If they do, confer with all interested parties to see if you should be using these new codes. Pay Attention to Approach, Image Guidance Methods on Prostate Biopsies The 2026 CPT® code book adds nine new code options for prostate biopsies. The codes differ in the approach and guidance used to collect the specimen. Use 55707 (Biopsy, prostate, transrectal, ultrasound-guided (ie, sextant, ultrasound-localized discrete lesion[s])) for a biopsy collected via a transrectal approach using ultrasound guidance. Assign 55709 (Biopsy, prostate, transperineal, ultrasound-guided (ie, sextant, ultrasound-localized discrete lesion[s])) for a prostate biopsy collected via a transperineal approach with ultrasound guidance. MRI-fusion-guidance: MRI-fusion-guidance combines pre-biopsy MRI images with real-time ultrasound-guided images to help urologists better visualize the prostate. Depending on the approach and which lesion(s) were targeted, you’ll assign one of the following codes for an MRI-fusion-guided prostate biopsy: In-bore biopsy: During an in-bore biopsy procedure, the patient lies in the MRI or CT unit while the provider performs the biopsy with a compatible device. This method allows the physician to visualize the lesion, biopsy needle, and needle guide in real time before, during, and after collecting the sample. The 2026 CPT® code book adds the following codes for in-bore prostate biopsies using CT or MRI guidance: The AMA is also deleting 55700 (Biopsy, prostate; needle or punch, single or multiple, any approach) from the 2026 CPT® code book and is revising the descriptor for 55705 as follows: Do this: Some CPT® code revisions are seemingly miniscule, and some are extensive. You need to make sure you pay attention to all the revisions, great and small, because even one word or punctuation mark can make a difference in the meaning of a code. Learn About New Prostate Laparoscopy Codes Under the prostate laparoscopy subsection of the 2026 CPT® code book, you’ll notice some subtle changes for the upcoming year. The AMA revised 55866 (Laparoscopy, surgical prostatectomy, retropubic radical, including nerve sparing, includes robotic assistance, when performed;) to include a semicolon at the end of the descriptor. This indicates that additional codes will fall under 55866 and the descriptor prior to the semicolon is included in the new codes below: You’ll also notice a # symbol next to 55868 and 55869 in the 2026 CPT® code book following 55866. This symbol means the AMA resequenced the codes to be listed before 55867 since the 55866, 55868, and 55869 are the same service with differing degrees of complexity. Further on in the other procedures subsection, 55877 (Ablation, irreversible electroporation, prostate, 1 or more tumors, including imaging guidance, percutaneous) is added to the code book. This code also includes parenthetical notes instructing you to not report 55877 with the following codes: You won’t report the image guidance codes listed above with 55877 because 55877 includes image guidance, so attempting to report a separate image guidance code would be billing double for the same service. Another note instructs you to use 0600T (Ablation, irreversible electroporation; 1 or more tumors per organ, other than liver or prostate, including imaging guidance, when performed, percutaneous) “for percutaneous irreversible electroporation of organ other than liver or prostate.” Report HIFU Treatments With a New Category III Code High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a type of focal therapy to treat prostate cancer. The procedure delivers ultrasound waves at a precise location to destroy tissue. Urologists can use the therapy to target certain areas of the prostate that have abnormalities on a biopsy or images of the gland while avoiding injury to other anatomical structures. In 2026, the CPT® code book adds 0950T (Ablation of benign prostate tissue, transrectal, with high intensity–focused ultrasound (HIFU), including ultrasound guidance) as a Category III code for HIFU ablation treatments for benign prostate tissue. Category III codes are temporary codes that CPT® uses for data collection, and it’s very serious about you using T codes instead of unlisted procedure codes. “Use of unlisted codes does not offer the opportunity for the collection of specific data. If a Category III code is available, this code must be reported instead of a Category I unlisted code,” CPT® states. Mike Shaughnessy, BA, CPC, Production Editor, AAPC
; incisional, any approach
