Coding Carotid Angiography

Question:

I performed a right common carotid artery catheterization with extracranial common carotid and intracranial imaging and left internal carotid catheterization with carotid circulation imaging. Can I report this as bilateral, 36224 and 36223-50?

Answer:

The bilateral modifier is only used for the exact same procedure/code performed bilaterally.

In your scenario the codes will be:

36224	for the left internal carotid catheterization with intracranial imaging, and
36223-59	for the right common carotid artery catheterization with extracranial and intracranial imaging

*This response is based on the best information available as of 12/14/17.