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External Marking Scans Pre-Biopsy Procedure

Date: Jul 25, 2013

Question:

In your Diagnostic Radiology Coding Reference book, page 212, item 10, it states it is appropriate to report code 76645 when ultrasound is used to externally mark the breast for subsequent biopsy or aspiration. Does this concept apply to all biopsy/aspiration procedures (e.g., thyroid biopsy)? If yes, do we need to append a -52 modifier to the limited scan CPT since it is not a complete scan?

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