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Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), also known as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, is a specialized imaging technique that utilizes a standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. This procedure employs advanced software to acquire and mathematically manipulate data, resulting in the creation of a spectrum or graph that illustrates the chemical metabolites present within body tissues. The metabolites that are typically analyzed during MRS include lipids, lactate, N-acetylaspartate (NAA), glutamate and glutamine, creatine, choline, and myo-inositol. MRS serves a critical role in the medical field, particularly in the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing monitoring of various conditions. These conditions include brain tumors, dementia, hypoxic encephalopathy, stroke, head injury, epilepsy, metabolic brain disorders, movement disorders, psychiatric conditions, as well as tumors of the breast and prostate gland. By providing detailed information about the chemical composition of tissues, MRS aids healthcare professionals in making informed decisions regarding patient care and management.
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Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is indicated for a variety of medical conditions, particularly those affecting the brain and certain tumors. The following are the explicitly provided indications for performing MRS:
The procedure for magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) involves several key steps that ensure accurate data acquisition and analysis. The following outlines the procedural steps:
After the magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) procedure, patients are typically monitored for a short period to ensure there are no immediate adverse effects from the MRI. Since MRS is a non-invasive procedure, there is generally no recovery time required. Patients can usually resume their normal activities immediately following the procedure. The results of the MRS will be reviewed by the healthcare provider, who will discuss the findings with the patient and determine any necessary follow-up actions or treatments based on the metabolic information obtained from the spectroscopy.
| Short Descr | MR SPECTROSCOPY | Medium Descr | MRI SPECTROSCOPY | Long Descr | Magnetic resonance spectroscopy | Status Code | Carriers Price the Code | Global Days | XXX - Global Concept Does Not Apply | PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) | 1 - Diagnostic Tests for Radiology Services | Multiple Procedures (51) | 0 - No payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures 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 | Procedure or Service, Not Discounted when Multiple | ASC Payment Indicator | Radiology service paid separately when provided integral to a surgical procedure on ASC list; payment based on OPPS relative payment weight. | Type of Service (TOS) | 4 - Diagnostic Radiology | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | I2D - Advanced imaging - MRI/MRA: other | MUE | 1 | CCS Clinical Classification | 226 - Other diagnostic radiology and related techniques |
This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.
| 0698T | Add-on Code Resequenced Code MPFS Status: Carrier Priced APC S ASC Z2 Quantitative magnetic resonance for analysis of tissue composition (eg, fat, iron, water content), including multiparametric data acquisition, data preparation and transmission, interpretation and report, obtained with diagnostic MRI examination of the same anatomy (eg, organ, gland, tissue, target structure); multiple organs (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. | MG | The order for this service does not have applicable appropriate use criteria in the qualified clinical decision support mechanism consulted by the ordering professional | Q1 | Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study | 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 | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | MH | Unknown if ordering professional consulted a clinical decision support mechanism for this service, related information was not provided to the furnishing professional or provider | 52 | Reduced services: under certain circumstances a service or procedure is partially reduced or eliminated at the discretion of the physician or other qualified health care professional. under these circumstances the service provided can be identified by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 52, signifying that the service is reduced. this provides a means of reporting reduced services without disturbing the identification of the basic service. note: for hospital outpatient reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well-being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use). | 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. | 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. | 77 | Repeat procedure by another physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a basic procedure or service was repeated by another physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 77 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | AQ | Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa) | CR | Catastrophe/disaster related | GA | Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case | GY | Item or service statutorily excluded, does not meet the definition of any medicare benefit or, for non-medicare insurers, is not a contract benefit | GZ | Item or service expected to be denied as not reasonable and necessary | LT | Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body) | MA | Ordering professional is not required to consult a clinical decision support mechanism due to service being rendered to a patient with a suspected or confirmed emergency medical condition | MC | Ordering professional is not required to consult a clinical decision support mechanism due to the significant hardship exception of electronic health record or clinical decision support mechanism vendor issues | ME | The order for this service adheres to appropriate use criteria in the clinical decision support mechanism consulted by the ordering professional | Q6 | Service furnished under a fee-for-time compensation arrangement by a substitute physician or by a substitute physical therapist furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area | 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 | 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 |
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| 2021-01-01 | Note | Guidelines changed. |
| 1998-01-01 | Added | First appearance in code book in 1998. |
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