© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
The CPT® Code 75870 refers to the procedure known as venography of the superior sagittal sinus, which involves radiological supervision and interpretation. This procedure is specifically designed to evaluate the superior sagittal sinus (SSS), a significant venous structure located within the brain. The SSS is a channel-like formation situated between the layers of the dura mater, the protective covering of the brain. It plays a crucial role in draining blood from the anterior cerebral hemispheres and is essential for maintaining proper cerebral circulation. The SSS runs in a triangular shape from the inner surface of the frontal lobe, along the edges of the two parietal lobes, and extends into the upper part of the occipital lobe. During the venography procedure, a radiopaque contrast medium is injected, allowing for enhanced visualization of the SSS through fluoroscopy. This imaging technique is particularly useful for diagnosing conditions such as hemorrhage or thrombosis, which may arise from various factors including traumatic skull injuries, arteriovenous fistulas, congenital malformations, or tumors. The SSS receives blood from several sources, including the superior cerebral veins and pericranial veins, and it also facilitates the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid via arachnoid granulations. To effectively visualize the SSS, both carotid arteries may need to be catheterized, as the sinus is asymmetrical and not paired. This allows for the injection of contrast medium to obtain standard anteroposterior (AP) views as well as lateral or oblique views. X-ray imaging is then utilized to assess the proximal and distal points of the SSS, providing insights into its origin, endpoint, and the overall pattern of venous blood flow as it empties into the confluence of sinuses. The CPT® Code 75870 encompasses the radiological supervision of this venography procedure, which includes the review and interpretation of the obtained images, along with the generation of a written report detailing the findings.
© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.
The venography of the superior sagittal sinus is performed for several specific indications, primarily to diagnose conditions affecting the venous drainage of the brain. The following are the explicitly provided indications for this procedure:
The venography procedure for the superior sagittal sinus involves several critical steps to ensure accurate imaging and diagnosis. The following procedural steps are outlined:
Post-procedure care following a venography of the superior sagittal sinus typically involves monitoring the patient for any immediate complications related to the catheterization and contrast injection. Patients may be observed for signs of bleeding, infection, or allergic reactions to the contrast medium. It is also important to ensure that the patient is stable before discharge. Depending on the findings from the venography, further diagnostic or therapeutic interventions may be recommended. Patients should be advised to follow up with their healthcare provider to discuss the results of the procedure and any necessary next steps in their care.
| Short Descr | VEIN X-RAY SKULL | Medium Descr | VENOGRAPHY SUPERIOR SAGITTAL SINUS RS&I | Long Descr | Venography, superior sagittal sinus, radiological supervision and interpretation | Status Code | Active Code | Global Days | XXX - Global Concept Does Not Apply | PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) | 1 - Diagnostic Tests for Radiology Services | Multiple Procedures (51) | 6 - Special payment adjustment rules on the technical component (TC) of multiple diagnostic cardiovascular services apply... | Bilateral Surgery (50) | 0 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures does NOT apply. | Physician Supervisions | 09 - Concept does not apply. | Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) | 0 - Payment restriction for assistants at surgery applies to this procedure... | Co-Surgeons (62) | 0 - Co-surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Team Surgery (66) | 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Diagnostic Imaging Family | 99 - Concept Does Not Apply | APC Status Indicator | Hospital Part B services paid through a comprehensive APC | ASC Payment Indicator | Radiology service paid separately when provided integral to a surgical procedure on ASC list; payment based on MPFS nonfacility PE RVUs. | Type of Service (TOS) | 4 - Diagnostic Radiology | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | I4B - Imaging/procedure - other | MUE | 1 | CCS Clinical Classification | 191 - Arterio- or venogram (not heart and head) |
This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.
| 37252 | Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Intravascular ultrasound (noncoronary vessel) during diagnostic evaluation and/or therapeutic intervention, including radiological supervision and interpretation; initial noncoronary vessel (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) | 37253 | Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Intravascular ultrasound (noncoronary vessel) during diagnostic evaluation and/or therapeutic intervention, including radiological supervision and interpretation; each additional noncoronary vessel (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) |
| 26 | Professional component: certain procedures are a combination of a physician or other qualified health care professional component and a technical component. when the physician or other qualified health care professional component is reported separately, the service may be identified by adding modifier 26 to the usual procedure number. | 59 | Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25. | 51 | Multiple procedures: when multiple procedures, other than e/m services, physical medicine and rehabilitation services or provision of supplies (eg, vaccines), are performed at the same session by the same individual, the primary procedure or service may be reported as listed. the additional procedure(s) or service(s) may be identified by appending modifier 51 to the additional procedure or service code(s). note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d). | 76 | Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | RT | Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body) | TC | Technical component; under certain circumstances, a charge may be made for the technical component alone; under those circumstances the technical component charge is identified by adding modifier 'tc' to the usual procedure number; technical component charges are institutional charges and not billed separately by physicians; however, portable x-ray suppliers only bill for technical component and should utilize modifier tc; the charge data from portable x-ray suppliers will then be used to build customary and prevailing profiles | X4 | Episodic/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians who provide focused care on particular types of treatment limited to a defined period and circumstance; the patient has a problem, acute or chronic, that will be treated with surgery, radiation, or some other type of generally time-limited intervention; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the orthopedic surgeon performing a knee replacement and seeing the patient through the postoperative period | X5 | Diagnostic services requested by another clinician: for reporting services by a clinician who furnishes care to the patient only as requested by another clinician or subsequent and related services requested by another clinician; this modifier is reported for patient relationships that may not be adequately captured by the above alternative categories; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the radiologist's interpretation of an imaging study requested by another clinician | XS | Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure | XU | Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service |
|
Date
|
Action
|
Notes
|
|---|---|---|
| 2011-01-01 | Changed | Short description changed. |
| Pre-1990 | Added | Code added. |
Get instant expert-level medical coding assistance.