Question:
Can you tell me the difference between codes 73040 and 23350?
Answer:
73040 is the imaging (and interpretation) of a shoulder arthrogram—the old-fashioned X-ray and fluoroscopic arthrogram imaging of the shoulder joint that was done before CTs and MRIs were an option. It is still done occasionally. But most of the time 73040 is coded, it is being coded incorrectly. One or two images to make sure the needle/contrast is in the right location is not an arthrogram. If contrast is injected and the patient is then taken for a CT or MRI without a full radiographic/fluoroscopic arthrogram, then 73040 is not coded. 23350 is the injection of contrast into the shoulder joint for either a radiographic and fluoroscopic arthrogram (73040), a CT arthrogram (73201), or MR arthrogram (73222). If an injection is done prior to a CT or MR arthrogram and fluoro guidance is used for guiding the injection, then you can report 77002 as well as 23350.
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