| Specialty
Groups — Oncology
Medical Oncology Code Changes
Radiation Oncology Code
Update
Although there are not a lot
of changes for radiation oncology coding in 2005, a few key codes have been
altered or added to the CPT Manual.
|
77418 |
Intensity
modulated treatment delivery, single or multiple fields/arcs, via
narrow spatially and temporally modulated beams, binary, dynamic MLC,
per treatment session |
| This
code descriptor was updated for 2005 to ensure that it is reported
only for IMRT treatment performed with MLC blocking. If
compensator-based IMRT is performed, the correct procedure code
would be: |
|
0073T |
Compensator-based beam modulation treatment delivery
of inverse planned treatment using three or more high resolution
(milled or cast) compensator convergent beam modulated fields, per
treatment session |
| In
addition, there were changes to nuclear medicine procedure codes
that may be reported by radiation oncology departments: |
|
79005 |
Radiopharmaceutical
therapy, by oral administration (this code is
used for oral I-131
thyroid therapy) |
|
79101 |
Radiopharmaceutical
therapy, by intravenous administration (this code is used for
Strontium therapy) |
|
79445 |
Radiopharmaceutical therapy, by intra-articular particulate
administration (this code is used for intra-arterial radiotherapy
for liver metastases) |
|
Additional information regarding all changes to CPT procedure codes
for the 2005 calendar year is located in CPT Changes: An
Insider’s View 2005 which is available for purchase from the
American Medical Association (www.ama-assn.org).
|
Cindy
C. Parman, CPC, CPC-H
principal and co-founder of Coding Strategies, Inc. in Atlanta, GA. Cindy
is a current member of the Advisory Board for the American Academy of
Professional Coders (AAPC) and a faculty instructor for AMA Solutions, a
subsidiary of the American Medical Association. She serves as the Consulting
Editor of the Radiology Coding Alert
and is on the Editorial Advisory Board of General Surgery Coding Alert and Pain Management Coding Alert.
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