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Modifier 52 on Nuclear Medicine Study

Date: Mar 24, 2015

Question:

I have a question on using a -52 modifier. Patient comes in for a nuclear medicine stress test (78542). The rest portion is performed with images, and for various reasons the stress portion is not completed. Should this be reported with code 78452-52 or 78451 for what was actually performed? The interpreting physician does not want the code to be changed, but to code what was originally ordered. Documentation is there to describe that the test was not completed. I have some advice that says to code the original order with a -52 modifiier, with the example that the patient could not cooperate for the complete study. My thought is if there is a code for what was performed that is what should be coded. Any help would be appreciated.

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