2025 CPT code 36225
Effective Date: N/A Surgery - Cardiovascular System Feed
Selective catheter placement, subclavian or innominate artery, unilateral, with angiography of the ipsilateral vertebral circulation and all associated radiological supervision and interpretation, includes angiography of the cervicocerebral arch, when performed.
Modifiers can be applied to this code to indicate specific circumstances, such as increased procedural services (modifier 22), reduced services (modifier 52), bilateral procedures (modifier 50), or distinct procedural services (modifier 59).
Medical necessity must be established for this procedure.This involves documenting the patient's signs and symptoms, related diagnoses, and the clinical rationale for performing the angiogram.The documentation must support that the information obtained from the procedure is necessary for diagnosis and treatment planning.
The physician performing the procedure is responsible for the entire process, from prepping the patient to interpreting the angiographic images and providing post-procedure care. This includes accessing the artery, guiding the catheter, injecting contrast material, acquiring and interpreting the images, and managing any complications.
In simple words: This procedure uses a thin tube (catheter) to examine blood vessels in the neck and brain area with X-rays.A special dye is injected to make the blood vessels show up clearly in the images.The doctor inserts the catheter into an artery, typically in the leg or arm, and guides it to the specific area needing examination. This helps doctors diagnose conditions affecting blood flow to the brain.
This procedure involves selective catheter placement in the subclavian or innominate artery on one side of the body. It includes angiography of the ipsilateral vertebral circulation and cervicocerebral arch, along with all associated radiological supervision and interpretation.
Example 1: A patient presents with symptoms of stroke. To evaluate the blood flow to the brain and identify any blockages or abnormalities in the subclavian or innominate artery and vertebral circulation, the physician performs selective catheter placement and angiography using code 36225., A patient with dizziness and visual disturbances undergoes this procedure to assess the cervicocerebral circulation for potential stenosis or other vascular issues., Following trauma to the neck, a patient requires angiography to rule out injury to the subclavian artery and vertebral circulation.The procedure performed would be coded as 36225.
Documentation should include details of the catheter placement, the vessels examined, the injection of contrast material, the interpretation of the angiographic images, any associated procedures performed, and any complications encountered. The medical necessity of the procedure should also be clearly documented.
- Specialties:Interventional Radiology, Vascular Surgery, Neurosurgery, Cardiology
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center