Limited planar imaging included in SPECT or SPECT/CT

Q.

Is it appropriate to report CPT® code 78800 or 78801 with CPT code 78830 with a modifier?  Understanding that planar imaging (except whole-body) is included with SPECT, would the same hold true that planar imaging is also included with SPECT/ CT?  Is there any scenario where it would be appropriate to report both together?

A.

It wouldn’t be appropriate to report these codes together. The rule is that limited planar (anything other than whole-body) imaging is included in SPECT or SPECT/CT. Of course, right now, even the whole body is included with the new codes because of (hopefully) incorrect CCI edits.