Coding for four-hour and 24-hour delay whole-body images with abdominal SPECT-CT at 24 hours

Q.

We performed nuclear medicine imaging with the following technique: four hour and 24-hour delay anterior and posterior whole-body images are obtained, with SPECT-CT images of the abdomen at 24 hours. What codes would you report?  

A.

I would assign both CPT^® codes, 78804 and 78830

The codes and full descriptions are:

78804 Radiopharmaceutical localization of tumor, inflammatory process or distribution of radiopharmaceutical agent(s) (includes vascular flow and blood pool imaging, when performed); planar, whole body, requiring 2 or more days imaging

78830 Radiopharmaceutical localization of tumor, inflammatory process or distribution of radiopharmaceutical agent(s) (includes vascular flow and blood pool imaging, when performed); tomographic (SPECT) with concurrently acquired computed tomography (CT) transmission scan for anatomical review, localization and determination/detection of pathology, single area (eg, head, neck, chest, pelvis), single day imaging