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The brachytherapy isodose plan, represented by CPT® Code 77316, is a specialized procedure that involves the creation of a patient-specific radiation treatment plan. This plan is developed by a medical dosimetrist and/or a qualified medical physicist, under the supervision of a radiation oncologist. Brachytherapy is a form of internal radiation therapy that delivers localized and precise doses of radiation directly to tumors or other medical conditions by implanting radioactive seeds or pellets into body cavities or interstitial tissues. The isodose plan is crucial as it determines the technique to be used, the exact dosage of radiation, and the type of radioactive material (such as iodine, palladium, cesium, or iridium) that will be applied. Additionally, it assesses the radiation tolerance of surrounding healthy tissues to minimize damage during treatment. In temporary brachytherapy, the radioactive source is placed inside a catheter or tube for a predetermined duration, after which it is removed. This technique can utilize various dosing rates, including low-dose rate (LDR) which administers continuous treatment over 1-2 days, pulse-dose rate (PDR) which delivers episodic doses typically once per hour, or high-dose rate (HDR) which involves shorter sessions repeated multiple times. Conversely, permanent brachytherapy involves the implantation of seeds or pellets that gradually release their radioactive material over several months until it is fully depleted. The procedure includes the confirmation of the correct placement of the radiation source, followed by the insertion of the seeds or pellets, which can be done manually or through a computer-controlled system. Code 77316 specifically applies to a simple brachytherapy isodose plan that utilizes calculations from 1 to 4 sources or remote afterloading of a single channel.
© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.
The brachytherapy isodose plan (CPT® Code 77316) is indicated for patients requiring localized radiation treatment for various medical conditions, particularly tumors. The following conditions may warrant the use of this procedure:
The procedure for creating a brachytherapy isodose plan involves several key steps, which are detailed below:
After the brachytherapy procedure is completed, patients may require specific post-procedure care and monitoring. This includes follow-up appointments to assess the effectiveness of the treatment and to monitor for any potential side effects. Patients may experience localized discomfort or swelling at the treatment site, which typically resolves over time. It is essential for patients to adhere to any instructions provided by their healthcare team regarding activity restrictions, care of the treatment area, and any necessary follow-up imaging or evaluations. Additionally, patients should be informed about the potential long-term effects of radiation therapy and the importance of ongoing surveillance for any recurrence of the disease.
| Short Descr | BRACHYTX ISODOSE PLAN SIMPLE | Medium Descr | BRACHYTX ISODOSE PLN SMPL W/DOSIMETRY CAL | Long Descr | Brachytherapy isodose plan; simple (calculation[s] made from 1 to 4 sources, or remote afterloading brachytherapy, 1 channel), includes basic dosimetry calculation(s) | 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) | 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 MPFS nonfacility PE RVUs. | Type of Service (TOS) | 6 - Therapeutic Radiology | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | P7A - Oncology - radiation therapy | MUE | 1 |
| 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. | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | 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 | GW | Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition | Q1 | Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study | 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 | XE | Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter | 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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| 2015-01-01 | Added | Added |
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