Radiology: Nuclear Medicine (Q&A) (February 2013)

February 2013 page 16 Radiology: Nuclear Medicine Question:For codes 78813, Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging; whole body, and 78816, positron emission tomography (PET) with concurrently acquired computed tomography (CT) for attenuation correction and anatomical localization imaging; whole body, what is meant by "whole body"? How far past the mid-thigh (as described in codes 78812 and 78815) do the images need to be, to report the whole body codes? If PET/CT images are obtained from the skull to the groin, may this be reported with code 78815? Answer: No. PET and PET with CT whole-body imaging codes 78813 and 78816...

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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 explains a nuclear medicine radiology coding question focused on PET and PET/CT imaging extent terminology. It is relevant to coders and billing staff who work with radiology documentation and CPT reporting for imaging studies, especially when determining whether the documented anatomic coverage matches the reported service. The piece covers a specific question-and-answer format and general guidance about confirming the imaged regions in the procedure report.

Why This Topic Matters

Understanding the article helps avoid mismatches between documented imaging extent and the CPT code chosen for PET and PET/CT studies. It is useful for accurate radiology coding, documentation review, and claim support.

Article Sections

  1. February 2013 page 16

    A short Q&A on PET and PET/CT nuclear medicine imaging extent and reporting considerations within radiology coding.

What You Will Learn

  • How the article frames PET and PET/CT imaging extent questions
  • What general type of documentation review is discussed for radiology reporting
  • Which coding topic area is addressed in the Q&A format
  • How the article relates nuclear medicine imaging documentation to CPT reporting

Who Should Read This

  • Radiology coders
  • Medical billers
  • Coding auditors
  • Health information management professionals
  • Physician documentation staff

Codes Discussed


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