| Reprinted from August 2001 CAP TODAY
Q: I noticed that sentinel lymph node is listed under the 88307 family
in the CPT 2001 book. If I receive two separately identified lymph nodes,
each designated as a “sentinel” node, can I bill for two units of service?
Also, if I receive a sentinel node in conjunction with a mastectomy and/or
regional lymph node resection, can I bill for it separately?
A: Code 88307, Sentinel Lymph Node, is used for sentinel
lymph node protocol related to isotopic identification of a sentinel node.
When you receive sentinel nodes that are separately identified, then each
should be coded separately. If you receive a separately identified sentinel
lymph node in conjunction with a mastectomy and/or regional lymph node
resection, the sentinel node should be coded separately. Please also note
that sentinel lymph node was accidentally omitted from the 88307 family
in the CPT 2001 pathology and laboratory mini edition. However, it is
listed in the CPT 2001 main edition.
If immunohistochemistry is required to evaluate a sentinel node, code
88342, Immunocytochemistry (including tissue immunoperoxidase), each
antibody, is appropriate in addition to 88307. Code 88342 is reported
once per antibody, per specimen.
Q: Now that 87087, Culture, bacterial, urine; commercial kit,
has been deleted, the CPT book refers pathologists to code 87088, Culture,
bacterial; with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates,
urine. Code 87088 is indented beneath code 87086, Culture, bacterial;
quantitative colony count, urine. Does this mean that the colony count
is included in the 87088 service and that 87086 should not be billed separately
when a colony count is performed in addition to the isolation and presumptive
identification service?
A: Code 87088 does not include the colony count quantification
service. Code 87088 should be used in addition to 87086 only when presumptive
bacterial identification is performed on the colony count plate.
Frequently asked questions about CPT are published bimonthly in “Capitol
Scan.” This addition to CAP TODAY is a product of the CAP Economic
Affairs Committee.
The codes and descriptions listed here are from Current Procedural Terminology,
a copyrighted publication of the American Medical Association. To purchase
CPT books, call the AMA at (800) 621-8335.
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