In simple words: This code covers the extra steps taken during a CT scan for radiation therapy to account for the patient's breathing. A sensor monitors breathing, and special computer processing creates a more accurate 3D image used to plan the treatment, ensuring the radiation targets the tumor effectively while avoiding healthy tissues.

Respiratory motion management at simulation for 3D radiotherapy or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). This involves placing a respiratory sensor on the patient, recording their breathing patterns during a CT scan, and reconstructing images using both CT and respiration data.

Example 1: A patient with lung cancer undergoes a CT simulation for radiation therapy. Due to tumor motion caused by breathing, respiratory motion management (77293) is performed along with 3D radiotherapy planning (77295) to ensure accurate targeting of the tumor during treatment., A patient with liver cancer is scheduled for IMRT. To account for respiratory motion during treatment delivery, respiratory motion management simulation (77293) is used in addition to the IMRT planning (77301) to optimize the radiation dose and minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissues., A patient with a pancreatic tumor is undergoing radiation therapy planning. Because the tumor location is affected by breathing, 4D CT simulation with respiratory motion management (77293) is performed as a supplement to the primary procedure (77295 or 77301) for accurate dose calculation and delivery.

Documentation should include the medical necessity for respiratory motion management, the type of respiratory sensor used, the breathing patterns recorded, and how the data was incorporated into the treatment plan. The report should also detail the primary procedure (77295 or 77301) performed in conjunction with code 77293.

** Code 77293 represents the work associated with acquiring a respiratory correlated or 4D CT simulation study. This information is then used for treatment planning with codes 77295 or 77301.