CPT® Code 77789

The procedure described by CPT® Code 77789 involves the surface application of a low dose rate radionuclide source, which is a therapeutic technique utilizing radioactive materials. This method is specifically designed to treat certain types of cancers that are localized to the skin or the eye, including non-melanomatous skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, as well as inflammatory breast cancer and uveal melanoma, which is a form of eye cancer. During the procedure, a specialized applicator is created to match the contours of the skin or the eye at the targeted treatment site. This ensures that the radionuclide source is in close proximity to the area requiring treatment, maximizing the effectiveness of the radiation therapy. The radionuclide source is then carefully loaded into the applicator and applied to the affected area for a predetermined duration, allowing for the delivery of targeted radiation to the cancerous cells while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.