CPT® 2021: Radiology Code Changes

CPT® 2021: Radiology Code Changes Numerous code changes have been made in the Radiology section of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) 2021 code set. The following is a list of the new and revised CPT codes that are pertinent to radiology services as described in the CPT® 2021 codebook. This list is only a portion of all of the CPT code changes for 2021. For a complete list of code changes, please refer to the CPT ® 2021 codebook and CPT® Changes 2021: An Insider's View. DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY: SCREENING CT OF THORAX Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS)...

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Note:  The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AMA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.

Article Overview

This article reviews selected CPT 2021 changes relevant to radiology and related services. It covers new and revised diagnostic imaging, fluoroscopic guidance, interventional radiology, breast CT, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, irreversible electroporation, coronary analysis, and lumbar injection codes, along with a limited set of related E/M and special services updates. The article is intended for coders, billing staff, radiology practices, and other professionals who need a high-level view of what changed in the 2021 CPT code set and where to look for more detailed guidance.

Why This Topic Matters

Radiology coding updates can affect code selection, reporting relationships, and awareness of deleted or replaced codes. A broad summary helps readers quickly identify which portions of the 2021 CPT changes may affect their workflow, claim review, or reference materials.

Article Sections

  1. Diagnostic Radiology: Screening CT of Thorax

    Summarizes 2021 changes affecting thorax CT reporting within diagnostic radiology, including new and revised code entries and associated reference notes.

  2. Diagnostic Radiology: Urography

    Covers a revision in the urography area and the related note about reporting relationships with other procedures.

  3. Diagnostic Radiology: Fluoroscopic Guidance

    Describes updates to fluoroscopic guidance references and the related inclusionary parenthetical notes affecting associated procedure reporting.

  4. Interventional Radiology: Percutaneous Core Needle Lung Biopsy

    Reviews the replacement of an interventional radiology biopsy code and the surrounding imaging-guidance context.

  5. Medical Physics Dose Evaluation

    Introduces a new radiology-related service for dose evaluation and summarizes its placement within the code structure.

  6. Category III: Breast CT

    Outlines the new breast CT technology codes and how they are grouped by laterality and contrast use.

  7. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) for Discogenic Pain

    Summarizes new Category III coding for MRS-based discogenic pain assessment and the associated workflow components.

  8. Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) Ablation

    Describes the addition of new codes for IRE ablation and the general procedural context in which they appear.

  9. Automated Advanced Coronary Analysis

    Covers new advanced coronary analysis codes tied to coronary CT angiography data and their related reporting structure.

  10. Percutaneous Injection of Allogeneic Product: Lumbar Spine

    Reviews new lumbar spine injection codes involving allogeneic products and the imaging-guidance framework referenced in the article.

  11. Medicine: Special Services, Procedures and Reports

    Explains a new special services code added in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its general reporting context.

  12. E/M: Office or Other Outpatient Services

    Summarizes the broad 2021 revisions to office and outpatient evaluation and management coding, including code structure and guideline updates.

  13. Deleted Codes as of January 1, 2021

    Lists codes removed for 2021 and notes the broader categories of radiology-related deletions and replacements discussed in the article.

What You Will Learn

  • Which radiology and related CPT 2021 sections were updated
  • Which areas of imaging received new, revised, or deleted codes
  • How the article organizes related notes and cross-references
  • Which specialties and service categories are affected by the 2021 changes
  • Where to find the major code-set updates discussed in the article

Who Should Read This

  • Medical coders
  • Radiology billing staff
  • Practice managers
  • Compliance staff
  • Revenue cycle professionals
  • Physicians and other reporting professionals

Codes Discussed

Code Ranges Discussed


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