Ask Dr. Z

We (facility) had a patient come in for a parotid biopsy. The procedure was cancelled after the neck was scanned with ultrasound and no mass was found. This is how the report reads: "By ultrasound exam and palpation, no pathologic discrete lesion was found, and therefore, no attempts were made to perform a biopsy at this time. The area that he pointed out to me appears to represent a strained muscle with no underlying lesion by ultrasound. A thorough exam of the full neck by ultrasound including the parotid area was also conducted." The department wants to charge guidance code 76942 with a -52 modifier. This seems incorrect to me. I think that either we report codes 76942 and 42400-52 or 76536. Can you please give us some guidance for this?