2025 CPT code 78608

Brain imaging, positron emission tomography (PET); metabolic evaluation

Refer to CPT coding guidelines for nuclear medicine procedures and specific instructions for brain PET scans. Ensure proper use of modifiers for professional and technical components when applicable.

Modifiers 26 (Professional Component) and TC (Technical Component) can be applied when appropriate.

Medical necessity for a brain PET scan must be established based on the patient's clinical presentation, suspected diagnosis, and treatment plan. The documentation should clearly justify why the PET scan is necessary.

The physician performing the PET scan is responsible for administering the radiopharmaceutical, operating the PET scanner, interpreting the images, and providing a diagnostic report.

In simple words: A PET scan of the brain is a special imaging test that shows how the brain is working. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into your bloodstream, which travels to your brain. The scanner then takes pictures of the brain's activity, giving doctors important information about how your brain is functioning.

Brain imaging by positron emission tomography (PET) is a diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging procedure that produces three-dimensional images to show how the brain and its tissues are functioning. It involves injecting a radioactive tracer (radionuclide) into the patient's bloodstream. The radionuclide travels to the brain and emits positrons, which produce gamma rays. A PET scanner detects these gamma rays, and a computer processes the data to create images of the radionuclide's distribution, providing information about brain metabolism.

Example 1: A patient with suspected Alzheimer's disease undergoes a brain PET scan to assess brain metabolism and aid in diagnosis., A patient with epilepsy undergoes a brain PET scan to identify areas of abnormal brain activity, assisting in surgical planning., A patient with a brain tumor undergoes a brain PET scan to evaluate the tumor's metabolic activity and guide treatment decisions.

Documentation should include the medical necessity for the PET scan, the type of radiopharmaceutical used, the patient's consent, the scan images, and the physician's interpretation report.

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