Wiki Hemangoima

[erogers231]

One of my pathology doctors just informed me that a hemangioma is an 88307 if it is soft tissue. I have been coding them an 88305 if in the diagnosis it reads "skin and soft tissue" can anyone please help with the correct cpt code? Also, do the size of the hemangioma matters when the pathologist receives it, should it be coded something different?

 

[magnolia1]

I would agree with 88307 if the location is soft tissue........

Size is only an issue when coding the excision of the lesion, not when assigning
the Pathology code.

 

[whaleheadking]

Size, the extent of the examination, and the resources expended to render a diagnosis are never criteria. Only assign the code that most accurately describes the tissue at hand.

If the hemangioma is located in the skin, it will be most accurately be described as a skin specimen. If it arises in the underlying soft tissue and invades the skin, it should be coded as a soft tissue mass. This is a case that depends on the documented pathologic diagnosis. Skin specimens, no matter how extensive will never be more than a Level IV (88305) specimen. A soft tissue mass, except lipoma, is a Level V specimen (88307).

Good luck,
WK
www.whaleheadking.com
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