AMA Clinical Examples in Radiology - 2008 Issue 1 (Winter)
Radiology Test Case Answer
Radiology Test Case Answer (See page 9 for test case) How to Code 76770 Ultrasound, retroperitoneal (eg, renal, aorta, nodes), real time with image documentation; complete. Discussion Although a complete retroperitoneal examination includes images of the kidneys, abdominal aorta, common iliac artery origins, and inferior vena cava, including any retroperitoneal abnormalities, a complete retroperitoneal examination may also describe a complete examination of the urinary tract that would include the kidneys and urinary bladder. When a retroperitoneal examination is performed for urinary pathology evaluation, complete evaluation of the kidneys and bladder suffices to constitute a complete examination. It is not...
Note: The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AMA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.
Article Overview
This premium article reviews a radiology test case and discusses CPT guidance for reporting retroperitoneal ultrasound when evaluating urinary tract pathology. It is aimed at coding professionals and radiology staff who need to understand how the exam is characterized in the CPT codebook and related CPT Assistant commentary. The article focuses on the scope of the examination and the documentation concepts discussed in the source material.
Why This Topic Matters
Understanding how the exam is framed in CPT guidance helps readers interpret documentation consistently and recognize when a study is considered complete for coding purposes.
Article Sections
How to Code
Introduces the coding focus for the case and identifies the relevant CPT reporting topic.
Discussion
Reviews the exam scope, related anatomic structures, and the CPT guidance discussed in the article. Also references prior CPT Assistant commentary and introductory notes from the CPT codebook.
What You Will Learn
The CPT coding topic addressed by the case
How the article frames retroperitoneal ultrasound reporting
Which broader documentation concepts are discussed in CPT guidance
How related CPT Assistant material is referenced in the article
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