2025 CPT code 73115
Radiological supervision and interpretation of wrist arthrography.
Modifiers are allowed. Modifier 26 is used for the professional component only.Modifier 52 indicates reduced services. Modifier 59 is used to distinguish the procedure from other procedures performed during the same encounter.
Medical necessity for a wrist arthrogram must be established. This requires documentation of the patient's symptoms, history, and failed conservative treatments. The arthrogram must be performed to diagnose a specific condition affecting the wrist joint and the results must be used to guide treatment decisions.
The physician is responsible for supervising the imaging procedure and interpreting the resulting images to diagnose wrist joint conditions. They oversee the injection of contrast material and ensure the proper positioning and imaging techniques are used. The physician then analyzes the images to identify any abnormalities and make a diagnosis.
In simple words: This procedure involves taking X-ray images of your wrist joint after injecting a special dye. The doctor uses these images to look for problems like arthritis, torn ligaments, or cartilage damage. The code only covers the doctor's work in overseeing and interpreting the images, not the injection itself.
This code represents the physician's supervision and interpretation of a wrist arthrography, a diagnostic imaging procedure where contrast material or air is injected into the wrist joint to evaluate its structures under X-ray or fluoroscopy.The procedure helps diagnose conditions like arthritis, ligament tears, cartilage abnormalities, and joint infections. This code does not include the injection procedure itself.
Example 1: A patient presents with chronic wrist pain and limited range of motion after a fall. An arthrogram is performed to evaluate the ligaments and cartilage for tears. Code 73115 is used for the radiologist's supervision and interpretation of the arthrogram images., A patient experiences persistent wrist swelling and pain, and an MRI suggests a possible joint infection. A wrist arthrogram is performed to confirm the diagnosis, and code 73115 is reported for the radiologist's services., A patient with rheumatoid arthritis experiences worsening wrist pain. An arthrogram is done to assess the extent of joint damage and guide treatment decisions. Code 73115 covers the radiologist's interpretation of the images.
Documentation should include the reason for the arthrogram, details of the procedure, including the type and amount of contrast used, the number and type of images taken, and a detailed interpretation of the findings with a diagnosis.The medical necessity for the procedure should also be documented.
** It is important to distinguish this code (73115) which covers only the supervision and interpretation, from the injection procedure code (25246), which is billed separately. Do not report fluoroscopic guidance (77002) separately with this code.
- Specialties:Radiology, Orthopedic Surgery, Rheumatology
- Place of Service:Office, Hospital Outpatient, Ambulatory Surgical Center, Independent Clinic