AMA Clinical Examples in Radiology - 2019 Issue 3 (Summer)
Portable Chest and Abdomen Radiography
RADIOLOGY TEST CASE ANSWER Portable Chest and Abdomen Radiography HOW TO CODE 71045 Radiologic examination, chest; single view 74018 Radiologic examination, abdomen; 1 view R50.9 Fever, unspecified R11.2 Nausea with vomiting, unspecified DISCUSSION This report describes a single view of the chest and a single view of the abdomen. It is appropriate to report two Current Procedural Terminology (CPT ® ) codes: 71045 and 74018 . It is not appropriate to report CPT code 74022 , Radiologic examination, abdomen; complete acute abdomen series, including supine, erect, and/or decubitus views, single view chest. As stated in the Spring 2007 issue...
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Article Overview
This premium coding article explains how a portable chest-and-abdomen radiography scenario is addressed from a coding and edit-management perspective. It is aimed at radiology coders, auditors, and billing staff who need to understand the relevant CPT and ICD-10-CM reporting context, the impact of 2018 radiography code-set revisions, and the history of an NCCI procedure-to-procedure edit affecting the service pair. The article also references guidance and commentary from major coding organizations and discusses a later CPT editorial clarification issue tied to the exam pattern.
Why This Topic Matters
Accurate reporting of combined chest and abdomen radiography depends on understanding code-set structure, exam configuration, and evolving edit guidance. This matters for compliant claim submission, denial prevention, and correct interpretation of radiology coding references.
Article Sections
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How to Code
Introduces the coding scenario and identifies the relevant reporting categories for the exam. It frames the discussion around the radiology service and diagnosis coding context.
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Discussion
Summarizes the coding rationale, notes related code-set changes over time, and reviews edit and editorial-update history discussed by professional organizations. It also ties the coding discussion to the reported clinical presentation.
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Sources
Lists the external references and publication sources cited in the article.
What You Will Learn
- The radiology coding topics associated with a portable chest-and-abdomen exam
- How the article situates CPT and ICD-10-CM reporting for this scenario
- The broader implications of recent radiography code-set revisions
- How professional guidance and edit-history references are presented in the article
Who Should Read This
- Radiology coders
- Medical billers
- Coding auditors
- Compliance staff
- Physician practice administrators
Codes Discussed
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