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2025 CPT code 87084

Culture, presumptive, pathogenic organisms, screening only; with colony estimation from density chart.

Follow CPT guidelines for microbiology procedures, specifically those relating to presumptive versus definitive identification, and the appropriate use of modifiers for multiple specimens or repeat testing. Consult current CPT coding manuals for detailed guidance.

Modifiers 59 (distinct procedural service) and 91 (repeat clinical diagnostic laboratory test) may be applicable depending on the circumstances.Other modifiers may be appropriate depending on the specific clinical situation and payer requirements.

Medical necessity is established when the clinician orders the test based on a patient's clinical presentation and a suspicion of a specific infection. The specific germ or bacteria must be indicated in the order.

The clinical responsibility lies with the laboratory analyst who performs the technical aspects of the culture, including specimen application to selective media, incubation, and colony growth assessment using a density chart.

IMPORTANT This code should be distinguished from 87081, which does not include colony growth estimation.If molecular diagnostics are used, codes 87140-87158 should be used in addition to this code.For multiple specimens or sites, modifier 59 is applied.For repeat tests on the same day, use modifier 91.If the microbiology test is not specified in 87003-87912 or in the Chemistry (82009-84830) or Immunology (86015-86835) sections, use unlisted microbiology procedure code 87999.

In simple words: The lab tests a sample from your body to see if a specific harmful germ is present and how much of it is there. They use a special substance that helps the germ grow if it is present and then measure the amount of growth.

This CPT code 87084 represents a microbiology procedure involving the presumptive identification of pathogenic organisms through culture techniques.A patient specimen is cultured on a selective medium designed to cultivate specific organisms while inhibiting the growth of others.The procedure includes estimating the colony growth density using a density chart. This is a screening test to determine the presence or absence of a particular pathogen, providing a quantitative assessment of its growth in addition to a simple positive or negative result.

Example 1: A patient presents with symptoms suggestive of a Vibrio infection.A stool sample is collected and cultured using a selective medium for Vibrio species. Code 87084 is used to report the culture with colony growth estimation., A throat swab is obtained from a patient with suspected streptococcal pharyngitis.The swab is cultured on a blood agar plate designed for Streptococcus growth, and colony growth is estimated. Code 87084 is used., A urine sample is collected from a patient suspected of having a Legionella infection.The sample is cultured using a selective medium appropriate for Legionella, and colony growth is assessed. Code 87084 is reported along with modifier 59 if multiple culture types are used.

The documentation should include the patient's clinical presentation, the source of the specimen, the type of selective medium used, the incubation conditions, the results of the culture (including colony growth estimation using the density chart), and the identification of any organisms grown.

** This code is used for presumptive identification, not definitive identification. Definitive identification requires additional testing and would necessitate the use of additional codes (87140-87158) if methods such as molecular probes, nucleic acid sequencing, chromatography, or immunologic techniques are involved.

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