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A limited abdominal ultrasound, designated by CPT® Code 76705, involves the use of real-time imaging technology to assess specific areas of the abdomen. This procedure is typically performed with the patient in a supine position, allowing for optimal access to the abdominal region. During the examination, an acoustic coupling gel is applied to the skin to facilitate the transmission of ultrasound waves. A transducer is then placed firmly against the skin and moved back and forth across the abdomen to capture images. The ultrasound machine emits ultrasonic wave pulses that penetrate the abdominal tissues, and the echoes produced are recorded to create visual representations of the internal structures. This technique is particularly useful for evaluating any abnormalities within the targeted area, as it helps in identifying characteristics that may lead to a definitive diagnosis. Following the examination, the physician reviews the captured images and provides a comprehensive written interpretation of the findings. It is important to note that CPT® Code 76705 is specifically utilized for limited ultrasound examinations, which may focus on a single organ, a specific quadrant of the abdomen, or serve as a follow-up scan, distinguishing it from the more extensive complete abdominal ultrasound represented by CPT® Code 76700.
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Ultrasound, abdominal, real time with image documentation; limited (CPT® Code 76705) is indicated for various clinical scenarios where focused evaluation of specific abdominal structures is necessary. The following are common indications for performing this procedure:
The procedure for a limited abdominal ultrasound (CPT® Code 76705) involves several key steps that ensure accurate imaging and assessment of the targeted area. The following outlines the procedural steps:
Post-procedure care for a limited abdominal ultrasound (CPT® Code 76705) typically involves minimal requirements. Patients may be advised to clean off any residual acoustic coupling gel from their skin after the examination. There are generally no specific restrictions or recovery protocols following the procedure, as it is non-invasive and does not require sedation. The physician will discuss the results of the ultrasound with the patient, including any necessary follow-up actions or additional diagnostic tests that may be warranted based on the findings.
| Short Descr | ECHO EXAM OF ABDOMEN | Medium Descr | US ABDOMINAL REAL TIME W/IMAGE LIMITED | Long Descr | Ultrasound, abdominal, real time with image documentation; limited (eg, single organ, quadrant, follow-up) | 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) | 4 - Special payment adjustment rules on the technical component (TC) of multiple diagnostic imaging 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 | 88 - | APC Status Indicator | Codes That May Be Paid Through a Composite APC | 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) | I3B - Echography/ultrasonography - abdomen/pelvis | MUE | 2 | CCS Clinical Classification | 196 - Diagnostic ultrasound of abdomen or retroperitoneum |
This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.
| 0690T | Add-on Code MPFS Status: Carrier Priced APC N Quantitative ultrasound tissue characterization (non-elastographic), including interpretation and report, obtained with diagnostic ultrasound examination of the same anatomy (eg, organ, gland, tissue, target structure) (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. | 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 | 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). | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | 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 | 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. | XU | Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service | 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 | XS | Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure | AQ | Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa) | GA | Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case | GW | Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition | 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 | 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. | Q5 | Service furnished under a reciprocal billing 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 | RT | Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body) | 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. | CR | Catastrophe/disaster related | XE | Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter | GQ | Via asynchronous telecommunications system | 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). | 53 | Discontinued procedure: under certain circumstances, the physician or other qualified health care professional may elect to terminate a surgical or diagnostic procedure. due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient, it may be necessary to indicate that a surgical or diagnostic procedure was started but discontinued. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 53 to the code reported by the individual for the discontinued procedure. note: this modifier is not used to report the elective cancellation of a procedure prior to the patient's anesthesia induction and/or surgical preparation in the operating suite. for outpatient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (asc) 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). | 58 | Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was: (a) planned or anticipated (staged); (b) more extensive than the original procedure; or (c) for therapy following a surgical procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 58 to the staged or related procedure. note: for treatment of a problem that requires a return to the operating/procedure room (eg, unanticipated clinical condition), see modifier 78. | 73 | Discontinued out-patient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (asc) procedure prior to the administration of anesthesia: due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient, the physician may cancel a surgical or diagnostic procedure subsequent to the patient's surgical preparation (including sedation when provided, and being taken to the room where the procedure is to be performed), but prior to the administration of anesthesia (local, regional block(s) or general). under these circumstances, the intended service that is prepared for but cancelled can be reported by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 73. note: the elective cancellation of a service prior to the administration of anesthesia and/or surgical preparation of the patient should not be reported. for physician reporting of a discontinued procedure, see modifier 53. | 79 | Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.) | 95 | Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via a real-time interactive audio and video telecommunications system: synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that would be sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction. modifier 95 may only be appended to the services listed in appendix p. appendix p is the list of cpt codes for services that are typically performed face-to-face, but may be rendered via a real-time (synchronous) interactive audio and video telecommunications system. | AM | Physician, team member service | CC | Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed) | CG | Policy criteria applied | ER | Items and services furnished by a provider-based, off-campus emergency department | ET | Emergency services | FS | Split (or shared) evaluation and management visit | FY | X-ray taken using computed radiography technology/cassette-based imaging | GV | Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider | 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 | KX | Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met | 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 | 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 | 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 | PD | Diagnostic or related non diagnostic item or service provided in a wholly owned or operated entity to a patient who is admitted as an inpatient within 3 days | PN | Non-excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital | PT | Colorectal cancer screening test; converted to diagnostic test or other procedure | Q0 | Investigational clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study | Q1 | Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study | QJ | Services/items provided to a prisoner or patient in state or local custody, however the state or local government, as applicable, meets the requirements in 42 cfr 411.4 (b) | QW | Clia waived test | SG | Ambulatory surgical center (asc) facility service | T1 | Left foot, second digit | U2 | Medicaid level of care 2, as defined by each state | U6 | Medicaid level of care 6, as defined by each state | UA | Medicaid level of care 10, as defined by each state | XP | Separate practitioner, a service that is distinct because it was performed by a different practitioner |
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| 2007-01-01 | Changed | Code description changed. |
| 2002-01-01 | Changed | Code description changed. |
| Pre-1990 | Added | Code added. |
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