Tissue Examination for Molecular Studies (Codes 88387, 88388) (October 2010)

Why This Topic Matters

These updates help coding professionals recognize newly introduced pathology services associated with molecular testing workflows and understand how the CPT 2010 codebook framed their reporting. Accurate awareness of this guidance supports consistent coding for specimen preparation services in pathology and laboratory settings.

Article Sections

1. New Codes

   Introduces the newly added pathology services and summarizes the general CPT 2010 context for their inclusion. It also notes related parenthetical guidance from the codebook.

2. Background

   Provides general context for why the services were added and how they relate to molecular testing workflows. The section discusses the broader pathology and laboratory setting without focusing on specific code selection details.

3. Clinical Example (Code 88387)

   Presents an illustrative scenario showing specimen handling and preparation in a molecular testing context. The example is intended to clarify the nature of the service in a practical setting.

4. Clinical Example (Code 88388)

   Presents a second illustrative scenario involving related pathology workflow elements and intraoperative evaluation. The example shows how the service fits into a tissue examination process.