Question

question 20

a patient has partial removal of his lung which is sent in for gross and microscopic examination. the pathologist also did gross and microscopic exam on biopsies for several lymph nodes in the patients chest which are placed in one container. a consultation is performed on a tissue block of a single specimen intraoperatively by frozen section. the pathologist also performs a trichrome stain. what cpt® codes are reported for the lab tests performed?

88309, 88305, 88313, 88331
88309 x 2, 88313, 88329
88307, 88305 x 2, 88332
88309 x 2, 88307 x 2, 88313, 88331, 88332

Explanation:

Identify the surgical pathology codes for the specimens

• Partial removal of lung (lobectomy/segmentectomy) is classified under Surgical Pathology, Level VI (CPT code 88309).
• Biopsies of several lymph nodes placed in one container are coded as a single specimen. Lymph node biopsy is classified under Surgical Pathology, Level IV (CPT code 88305).

Identify the intraoperative consultation and special stain codes

• Intraoperative consultation on a single specimen by frozen section (first tissue block) is coded as CPT 88331.
• A special stain (trichrome stain) is classified as a group I special stain, coded as CPT 88313.

Combine and match with the options

• The correct set of CPT codes is 88309 (lung, partial resection), 88305 (lymph nodes, biopsy), 88313 (special stain), and 88331 (intraoperative frozen section).

Answer:

• (A) 88309, 88305, 88313, 88331 (Correct answer)
• (B) 88309 x 2, 88313, 88329
• (C) 88307, 88305 x 2, 88332
• (D) 88309 x 2, 88307 x 2, 88313, 88331, 88332