Wiki Help coding MRI Brachial Plexus

[imoore65]

How would you code a MRI of the Brachial Plexus without contrast? This patient is experiancing neck and arm pain. We are leaning towards 70540 MRI Neck since the Radiologist focused mostly on the neck after commenting that the brachial plexus is normal in appearance. Our front office wants to code this a 71550 MRI Chest but the Radiologist didn't mention anything about the chest or lungs in his findings. Any help or advice please?

 

[chembree]

The ACR had a Q&A article on this in March/ April of 2010! This is a copy of it....

Q: How is an MRI of only the brachial plexus reported?

As noted in a coding Q&A in the February 2001 ACR Bulletin, the consensus of the Economics Committee on Coding & Nomenclature is that the choice of the appropriate CPT code for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of the brachial plexus depends significantly on the clinical indications. For example, an MRI of the chest, focusing on the brachial plexus, is most commonly used in cases of apical lung cancers (Pancoast tumors), while an MRI of the orbit, face and neck may be used to identify head and neck cancers to the level of the thyroid, including the brachial plexus. In the evaluation of a tumor of the shoulder girdle or axilla, including the brachial plexus region, or in the evaluation of a patient with a brachial plexopathy (a non-specific symptom related to the nerve itself that might require imaging), an MRI of the upper extremity would be appropriate.


Hope this helps!

 

[imoore65]

Thank you I have printed a copy of this and passed it out to our Front Desk and our coders.