CPT® Code 74301

Add-On Code

Cholangiography and/or pancreatography; additional set intraoperative, radiological supervision and interpretation (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

Cholangiography and pancreatography are specialized imaging procedures utilized to visualize the bile ducts and pancreatic duct, respectively. These procedures are essential during biliary surgery, particularly for identifying issues such as stones, inflammation, or obstructions within the bile ducts, as well as assessing the pancreatic duct for any trauma. The process typically involves the surgeon placing a small catheter into the cystic duct after the gallbladder has been removed. The cystic duct is responsible for draining bile from the gallbladder into the common bile duct, while the pancreatic duct merges with the common bile duct just before entering the ampulla of Vater. To capture detailed images of these structures, X-ray imaging is employed, which utilizes indirect ionizing radiation. This method is effective for visualizing non-uniform materials, such as human tissue, due to the varying densities and compositions that allow some X-rays to be absorbed while others pass through, resulting in a two-dimensional image on a detector. To enhance the clarity and definition of the anatomical structures and their functions, a contrast material is injected into the duct(s). The entire procedure is conducted under the direct supervision of a radiologist, who oversees the contrast injection and provides a report of the findings to the surgeon. The CPT® Code 74300 is designated for reporting the radiological supervision and interpretation of the initial cholangiography or pancreatography study performed intraoperatively, while CPT® Code 74301 is specifically used to report any additional image sets obtained during the same intraoperative session.