Please note this question was answered in 2014. The coding advice may or may not be outdated.
Mediastinal Node Biopsy
Date: Jul 29, 2014
Question:
How would you code for a core needle biopsy of a mediastinal lymph node? The report stated the biopsy was challenging because the lymph node was close to the heart and pulmonary artery, so it definitely was not superficial. We didn't think code 38505 really applied here, but it is not abdominal or retroperitoneal, so we didn't know if we could use code 49180 here. Would it be appropriate to report code 32405 for a mediastinal lymph node or not?
Need to ask Dr.Z?
Don't see the answer you're looking for in the knowledge base? No problem. You can ask Dr. Z directly!Ask Dr. Z a question now!