Reflectance Confocal Microscopy (September 2017)

September 2017 pages 9-10 Reflectance Confocal Microscopy In 2016, six new codes (96931-96936) were added to the Medicine/Special Dermatological Procedures subsection of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) code set to report reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) for cellular and sub-cellular imaging of skin. In the CPT 2017 code set, new guidelines were added to clarify that codes 96931-96936 describe the acquisition and/or diagnostic interpretation of the output of the RCM device that consists of generated stitched image mosaics related to a single lesion. The codes should not be used for confocal microscopy examinations that do not produce mosaic images...

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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 the CPT coding context for reflectance confocal microscopy in dermatology. It reviews the 2017 guidance update, the general scope of the imaging service, and a clinical example showing how the procedure is documented and reported. The piece is useful for dermatology practices, coding staff, and professionals who need to understand how RCM fits within CPT’s special dermatological procedures.

Why This Topic Matters

Reflectance confocal microscopy is an advanced dermatologic imaging service with specific CPT guidance. Understanding the article helps readers identify when the topic applies and how the related coding guidance is organized in the CPT framework.

Article Sections

  1. September 2017 pages 9-10

    Introduces the topic, notes the CPT update timeframe, and frames the article as an overview of reflectance confocal microscopy coding guidance.

  2. Reflectance Confocal Microscopy

    Describes the imaging technology, its general clinical purpose, and its role in dermatology. Summarizes the CPT context in which the service is discussed.

  3. Special Dermatological Procedures

    Presents the relevant CPT procedures associated with this imaging service and shows how the article organizes the related reporting categories.

  4. Coding Tip

    Highlights a brief coding-related note connected to use of the imaging service under a different CPT reporting category.

  5. Clinical Examples and Description of Procedures (96931, 96932, 96933)

    Provides an illustrative patient scenario and a detailed procedural workflow for the imaging service, along with documentation and reporting context.

What You Will Learn

  • The CPT context for reflectance confocal microscopy in dermatology
  • How the article frames the 2017 guideline update for the imaging service
  • What broad clinical workflow and documentation issues are associated with the service
  • How the article organizes the related special dermatological procedure content

Who Should Read This

  • Dermatology practices
  • Medical coders
  • Coding auditors
  • Physicians
  • Clinical documentation staff

Codes Discussed

Code Ranges Discussed


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