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Official Description

Catheter placement in coronary artery(s) for coronary angiography, including intraprocedural injection(s) for coronary angiography, imaging supervision and interpretation; with right heart catheterization

© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Common Language Description

The procedure described by CPT® Code 93456 involves catheter placement in the coronary arteries for the purpose of conducting coronary angiography. This procedure is essential for visualizing the coronary arteries and any bypass grafts that may be present. It includes the administration of intraprocedural injections necessary for the angiography, as well as the imaging supervision and interpretation of the results. The process begins with the preparation of the patient, which includes cleansing the skin over the arterial access site and administering a local anesthetic to minimize discomfort. Following this, a needle is used to puncture the artery, and a sheath is placed to facilitate the insertion of a guidewire. The guidewire is carefully threaded through the artery and into the aorta, allowing for the placement of a catheter that will enable the injection of contrast media. This contrast media is crucial for visualizing the coronary arteries and any bypass grafts during the angiogram. After the angiographic images are obtained, the catheter is withdrawn, and pressure is applied to the puncture site to prevent bleeding, followed by the application of a compression dressing. Additionally, the procedure includes right heart catheterization, which involves accessing the femoral vein to evaluate the right side of the heart and pulmonary arteries. This comprehensive approach allows for a thorough assessment of both the coronary and right heart structures, providing valuable information for diagnosis and treatment planning.

© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.

1. Indications

The procedure described by CPT® Code 93456 is indicated for the evaluation of coronary artery disease and other cardiac conditions. The following conditions may warrant this procedure:

  • Coronary Artery Disease - To assess the presence and severity of blockages in the coronary arteries.
  • Chest Pain - To investigate unexplained chest pain that may be related to cardiac issues.
  • Abnormal Stress Test Results - To further evaluate findings from non-invasive stress tests that suggest coronary artery problems.
  • Preoperative Assessment - To evaluate coronary artery status prior to cardiac surgery or procedures.
  • Heart Failure - To assess the function of the heart and the status of the coronary arteries in patients with heart failure symptoms.

2. Procedure

The procedure for CPT® Code 93456 involves several detailed steps to ensure accurate catheter placement and imaging. The following steps outline the process:

  • Preparation and Anesthesia The skin over the arterial access site is cleansed to reduce the risk of infection, and a local anesthetic is administered to minimize discomfort during the procedure.
  • Arterial Access A needle is used to puncture the artery, typically the femoral artery, and a sheath is placed to facilitate the introduction of a guidewire.
  • Guidewire Insertion A guidewire is inserted through the sheath and carefully threaded through the artery into the aorta, positioning it in the right or left coronary artery or an arterial or venous coronary bypass graft.
  • Catheter Placement A catheter is then threaded over the guidewire and advanced into the coronary artery. Once in place, the guidewire is removed, and contrast media is injected to visualize the coronary arteries and bypass grafts.
  • Angiography The coronary arteries and bypass grafts are visualized using the injected contrast media, and angiograms are obtained to assess the condition of the arteries.
  • Completion of Coronary Angiography After the angiogram procedure is completed, the catheter is withdrawn, and pressure is applied to the puncture site to prevent bleeding. A compression dressing is then applied to the site.
  • Right Heart Catheterization Following the coronary angiography, right heart catheterization is performed. A small stab incision is made in the skin, and a needle is inserted into the femoral vein. A sheath is placed over the needle, which is then withdrawn.
  • Guidewire and Catheter for Right Heart A guidewire is threaded through the femoral vein, external iliac vein, inferior vena cava, and into the right atrium. A catheter is then threaded over the guidewire into the right atrium, right ventricle, and into the pulmonary arteries.
  • Assessment of Right Heart Chambers As the catheter is advanced, the right heart chambers are inspected, and pressures are obtained. Oxygen levels and cardiac output may also be measured as needed, along with inspection of the tricuspid and pulmonary valves.
  • Completion of Right Heart Catheterization A separately reportable angiogram of the right heart and/or pulmonary arteries may be obtained. Once the procedure is completed, the catheter is withdrawn, compression is applied to the venous access site, and a dressing is applied. A written report of findings is provided.

3. Post-Procedure

After the completion of the procedure, patients are typically monitored for any complications related to the catheterization. The access sites are assessed for bleeding or hematoma formation, and appropriate pressure is maintained to ensure hemostasis. Patients may be advised to rest and limit physical activity for a specified period to promote healing. A written report detailing the findings from both the coronary angiography and right heart catheterization is provided for further evaluation and management. Follow-up care may include additional imaging or consultations based on the results of the procedure.

Short Descr R HRT CORONARY ARTERY ANGIO
Medium Descr CATH PLMT R HRT & ARTS W/NJX & ANGIO IMG S&I
Long Descr Catheter placement in coronary artery(s) for coronary angiography, including intraprocedural injection(s) for coronary angiography, imaging supervision and interpretation; with right heart catheterization
Status Code Active Code
Global Days 000 - Endoscopic or Minor Procedure
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 Hospital Part B services paid through a comprehensive APC
ASC Payment Indicator Non office-based surgical procedure added in CY 2008 or later; payment based on OPPS relative payment weight.
Type of Service (TOS) 2 - Surgery
Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) P2F - Major procedure, cardiovascular-Other
MUE 1
CCS Clinical Classification 47 - Diagnostic cardiac catheterization, coronary arteriography

This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.

0523T Add-on Code Resequenced Code MPFS Status: Carrier Priced APC N ASC N1 Intraprocedural coronary fractional flow reserve (FFR) with 3D functional mapping of color-coded FFR values for the coronary tree, derived from coronary angiogram data, for real-time review and interpretation of possible atherosclerotic stenosis(es) intervention (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
92973 Addon Code Resequenced Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N CPT Assistant Article Illustration for Code Percutaneous transluminal coronary thrombectomy mechanical (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
92974 Addon Code Resequenced Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N CPT Assistant Article Illustration for Code Transcatheter placement of radiation delivery device for subsequent coronary intravascular brachytherapy (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
92978 Addon Code CPT Resequenced MPFS Status: Carrier Priced APC N ASC N1 CPT Assistant Article Illustration for Code Endoluminal imaging of coronary vessel or graft using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) or optical coherence tomography (OCT) during diagnostic evaluation and/or therapeutic intervention including imaging supervision, interpretation and report; initial vessel (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93463 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Pharmacologic agent administration (eg, inhaled nitric oxide, intravenous infusion of nitroprusside, dobutamine, milrinone, or other agent) including assessing hemodynamic measurements before, during, after and repeat pharmacologic agent administration, when performed (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93464 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Physiologic exercise study (eg, bicycle or arm ergometry) including assessing hemodynamic measurements before and after (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93566 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Injection procedure during cardiac catheterization including imaging supervision, interpretation, and report; for selective right ventricular or right atrial angiography (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93567 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Injection procedure during cardiac catheterization including imaging supervision, interpretation, and report; for supravalvular aortography (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93568 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Injection procedure during cardiac catheterization including imaging supervision, interpretation, and report; for nonselective pulmonary arterial angiography (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93569 Add-on Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Injection procedure during cardiac catheterization including imaging supervision, interpretation, and report; for selective pulmonary arterial angiography, unilateral (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93571 Addon Code MPFS Status: Carrier Priced APC N ASC N1 CPT Assistant Article Intravascular Doppler velocity and/or pressure derived coronary flow reserve measurement (coronary vessel or graft) during coronary angiography including pharmacologically induced stress; initial vessel (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93573 Add-on Code Resequenced Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Injection procedure during cardiac catheterization including imaging supervision, interpretation, and report; for selective pulmonary arterial angiography, bilateral (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93574 Add-on Code Resequenced Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Injection procedure during cardiac catheterization including imaging supervision, interpretation, and report; for selective pulmonary venous angiography of each distinct pulmonary vein during cardiac catheterization (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93575 Add-on Code Resequenced Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Injection procedure during cardiac catheterization including imaging supervision, interpretation, and report; for selective pulmonary angiography of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs) arising off the aorta or its systemic branches, during cardiac catheterization for congenital heart defects, each distinct vessel (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
93662 Addon Code MPFS Status: Carrier Priced APC N PUB 100 CPT Assistant Article Intracardiac echocardiography during therapeutic/diagnostic intervention, including imaging supervision and interpretation (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
G0278 Add-on Code Medicare Coverage: Carrier Priced MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Iliac and/or femoral artery angiography, non-selective, bilateral or ipsilateral to catheter insertion, performed at the same time as cardiac catheterization and/or coronary angiography, includes positioning or placement of the catheter in the distal aorta or ipsilateral femoral or iliac artery, injection of dye, production of permanent images, and radiologic supervision and interpretation (list separately in addition to 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.
GC This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician
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
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).
XS Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure
CR Catastrophe/disaster related
AO Alternate payment method declined by provider of service
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
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.
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.
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.
78 Unplanned return to the operating/procedure room by the same physician or other qualified health care professional following initial procedure for a related procedure during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that another procedure was performed during the postoperative period of the initial procedure (unplanned procedure following initial procedure). when this procedure is related to the first, and requires the use of an operating/procedure room, it may be reported by adding modifier 78 to the related procedure. (for repeat procedures, see modifier 76.)
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.)
AQ Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa)
AS Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery
ET Emergency services
GV Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider
GW Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition
GZ Item or service expected to be denied as not reasonable and necessary
LD Left anterior descending coronary artery
LM Left main coronary artery
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
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
RC Right coronary artery
RT Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body)
XE Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter
XP Separate practitioner, a service that is distinct because it was performed by a different practitioner
Date
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2017-01-01 Changed Moderate (Conscious) Sedation flag removed. See new Moderate Sedation category.
2011-01-01 Added Added
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