Coding Ahead
CasePilot
Medical Coding Assistant
Case2Code
Search and Code Lookup Tool
RedactPHI
HIPAA-Compliant PHI Redaction
DetectICD10CM
ICD-10-CM Code Detection
Log in Register free account
1 code page views remaining. Guest accounts are limited to 1 page view. Register free account to get 5 more views.
Log in Register free account

Official Description

Radiation treatment management, 5 treatments

© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Common Language Description

Radiation treatment management refers to the comprehensive oversight and coordination of care provided to patients undergoing radiation therapy. This management is crucial for ensuring that the treatment is delivered safely and effectively. The CPT® Code 77427 specifically denotes the professional services associated with managing every five treatment fractions of radiation therapy. This code can be reported multiple times throughout the patient's treatment course, reflecting the ongoing nature of care. The responsibilities of the healthcare provider include a thorough review of port films or other imaging studies to assess the treatment area, as well as a detailed chart review to confirm dosimetry and the actual dose delivered. Additionally, the provider evaluates the patient's treatment setup to ensure accuracy and safety. A physical examination or face-to-face encounter with the patient is mandated at least once during each five-treatment fraction period. This interaction is essential for assessing the patient's progress, monitoring any side effects, and evaluating the overall response to the radiation therapy. The findings from these evaluations are meticulously documented, allowing the treating physician to make informed recommendations regarding the continuation, temporary cessation, or permanent conclusion of radiation treatment based on the patient's condition and treatment response.

© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.

1. Indications

The indications for radiation treatment management, as represented by CPT® Code 77427, include the following:

  • Oncological Treatment Patients diagnosed with cancer who require radiation therapy as part of their treatment plan.
  • Palliative Care Individuals experiencing symptoms from advanced cancer where radiation therapy is utilized to alleviate pain or other distressing symptoms.
  • Preoperative or Postoperative Management Patients undergoing radiation therapy either before surgery to shrink tumors or after surgery to eliminate remaining cancer cells.

2. Procedure

The procedure for radiation treatment management involves several critical steps to ensure effective patient care and treatment delivery. Each step is essential for the overall management of the patient's radiation therapy.

  • Step 1: Initial Assessment The process begins with an initial assessment of the patient, which includes a comprehensive review of their medical history, current health status, and specific cancer diagnosis. This assessment helps in formulating an appropriate treatment plan tailored to the patient's needs.
  • Step 2: Treatment Planning Following the initial assessment, a detailed treatment plan is developed. This plan outlines the radiation dosage, treatment schedule, and specific techniques to be used. Dosimetry calculations are performed to ensure that the radiation is delivered accurately to the targeted area while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.
  • Step 3: Treatment Setup The patient is then prepared for treatment, which involves positioning them correctly to ensure optimal delivery of radiation. This setup may include the use of immobilization devices to maintain the patient's position throughout the treatment sessions.
  • Step 4: Treatment Delivery Radiation therapy is administered according to the established treatment plan. Each session involves careful monitoring of the patient and the equipment to ensure that the correct dose is delivered as planned.
  • Step 5: Monitoring and Evaluation Throughout the course of treatment, the healthcare provider conducts ongoing evaluations, including reviewing port films or imaging studies to assess the effectiveness of the therapy. The provider also performs a physical examination or face-to-face encounter with the patient at least once during the five treatment fractions to evaluate progress, side effects, and response to the therapy.
  • Step 6: Documentation and Recommendations All findings from the evaluations are documented thoroughly. Based on these findings, the treating physician makes informed recommendations regarding whether to continue, temporarily pause, or permanently conclude the radiation therapy.

3. Post-Procedure

After the completion of the radiation treatment management, patients may require follow-up care to monitor for any potential side effects or complications arising from the therapy. This may include additional imaging studies or consultations to assess the treatment's effectiveness and the patient's overall health. The healthcare provider will continue to evaluate the patient's condition and may recommend supportive care or further treatment options as necessary. It is essential for patients to communicate any new symptoms or concerns during this post-procedure phase to ensure timely intervention and management of any issues that may arise.

Short Descr RADIATION TX MANAGEMENT X5
Medium Descr RADIATION TREATMENT MANAGEMENT 5 TREATMENTS
Long Descr Radiation treatment management, 5 treatments
Status Code Active Code
Global Days XXX - Global Concept Does Not Apply
PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) 2 - Professional Component Only Code
Multiple Procedures (51) 9 - Concept does not apply.
Bilateral Surgery (50) 9 - Concept does not apply.
Physician Supervisions 09 - Concept does not apply.
Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) 9 - Concept does not apply.
Co-Surgeons (62) 9 - Concept does not apply.
Team Surgery (66) 9 - Concept does not apply.
Diagnostic Imaging Family 99 - Concept Does Not Apply
APC Status Indicator Code Not Recognized by OPPS when submitted on Outpatient Hospital Part B Bill Type (12x/13x)
Type of Service (TOS) 6 - Therapeutic Radiology
Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) P7A - Oncology - radiation therapy
MUE 1
CCS Clinical Classification 211 - Therapeutic radiology
GC This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician
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
Q1 Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study
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.
CR Catastrophe/disaster related
AQ Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa)
Q0 Investigational clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study
X2 Continuous/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians whose expertise is needed for the ongoing management of a chronic disease or a condition that needs to be managed and followed with no planned endpoint to the relationship; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to: a rheumatologist taking care of the patient's rheumatoid arthritis longitudinally but not providing general primary care services
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
PN Non-excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital
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.
GW Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition
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
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.
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.)
GT Via interactive audio and video telecommunication systems
25 Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional on the same day of the procedure or other service: it may be necessary to indicate that on the day a procedure or service identified by a cpt code was performed, the patient's condition required a significant, separately identifiable e/m service above and beyond the other service provided or beyond the usual preoperative and postoperative care associated with the procedure that was performed. a significant, separately identifiable e/m service is defined or substantiated by documentation that satisfies the relevant criteria for the respective e/m service to be reported (see evaluation and management services guidelines for instructions on determining level of e/m service). the e/m service may be prompted by the symptom or condition for which the procedure and/or service was provided. as such, different diagnoses are not required for reporting of the e/m services on the same date. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 25 to the appropriate level of e/m service. note: this modifier is not used to report an e/m service that resulted in a decision to perform surgery. see modifier 57 for significant, separately identifiable non-e/m services, see modifier 59.
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.
GV Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider
22 Increased procedural services: when the work required to provide a service is substantially greater than typically required, it may be identified by adding modifier 22 to the usual procedure code. documentation must support the substantial additional work and the reason for the additional work (ie, increased intensity, time, technical difficulty of procedure, severity of patient's condition, physical and mental effort required). note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
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.
32 Mandated services: services related to mandated consultation and/or related services (eg, third party payer, governmental, legislative or regulatory requirement) may be identified by adding modifier 32 to the basic procedure.
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).
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.
CC Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed)
FA Left hand, thumb
GA Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case
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)
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
PO Excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital
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)
RB Replacement of a part of a dme, orthotic or prosthetic item furnished as part of a repair
RT Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body)
SA Nurse practitioner rendering service in collaboration with a physician
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
Date
Action
Notes
2011-01-01 Changed Short description changed.
2009-01-01 Changed Code description changed
2000-01-01 Added First appearance in code book in 2000.
Code
Description
Code
Description
Code
Description
Code
Description
Code
Description
CasePilot

Get instant expert-level medical coding assistance.

Ask about:
CPT Codes Guidelines Modifiers Crosswalks NCCI Edits Compliance Medicare Coverage
Example: "What is CPT code 99213?" or "Guidelines for E/M services"