Wiki Radiology coding modifiers for comparison-only views

[mvboland01]

Example: patient is being x-rayed for pain in left knee. Physician's report only cites left knee pain as diagnosis. Three views are taken of the left knee. One view is also taken of right knee for comparison purposes. Would it be appropriate to use diagnosis code M25.562 for both procedures 73560 with modifier RT as well as 73562 with modifier LT? If not, what else would you think is correct??

 

[gabreyes87]

I would code Dx for left knee only if it states pain in left knee only on report.