Summary & Overview

CPT 0083U: Onco4D™ Chemosensitivity Test Using Motility Contrast Tomography

CPT code 0083U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code assigned to the Onco4D™ test from Animated Dynamics, Inc., a tissue-based functional chemosensitivity assay that uses motility contrast tomography on fresh or frozen tumor specimens to predict cancer sensitivity or resistance to chemotherapy agents. PLA codes identify single-vendor laboratory tests and are increasingly important as precision oncology expands because they signal unique, manufacturer-specific diagnostics that lack direct generic equivalents. Nationally, such PLA codes affect coverage discussions, prior authorization workflows, and lab billing practices across commercial and public payers.

Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of payer coverage considerations, common billing patterns, and the clinical context in which the test is used. The publication highlights benchmarks for utilization and reimbursement where available, summarizes relevant policy and coding considerations tied to PLA status, and outlines the clinical utility—how motility contrast tomography informs chemotherapy selection. Data not provided in the input (such as specific coverage policies, reimbursement rates, and associated ICD-10 codes) are noted as unavailable. The piece is intended for laboratory billing managers, policy analysts, and oncology care teams seeking a national summary of CPT code 0083U and its practical implications for billing and clinical decision workflows.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare0083UCPTProprietary Laboratory AnalysesOncologyChemo-sensitivity assayMotility contrast tomographyLaboratory billingPrecision medicine

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 0083U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code reported for the Onco4D™ test from Animated Dynamics, Inc. The test uses motility contrast tomography of fresh or frozen tissue to determine whether a patient's cancer will be sensitive to or resistant to a chemotherapy drug or combination of drugs.

Service Type: Laboratory — Proprietary functional chemosensitivity assay

Typical Site of Service: Clinical laboratory or hospital pathology/molecular diagnostics laboratory; testing performed on fresh or frozen tissue specimens

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 62-year-old patient with metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma undergoes tumor biopsy or surgical resection; the oncology team needs functional chemosensitivity information to guide systemic therapy selection. Fresh or appropriately frozen tumor tissue is transported to the pathology lab or the manufacturer-specific lab (Animated Dynamics, Inc.) and processed using the Onco4D™ motility contrast tomography assay. The laboratory performs the proprietary analysis to determine tumor cell motility responses to single agents and drug combinations, generating a report indicating sensitivity or resistance. The oncologist reviews the report in a multidisciplinary setting to inform selection of cytotoxic chemotherapy or combination regimens, particularly when prior lines of therapy have failed or when choosing among several equivalent options.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`00`	Default/No modifier	Use when no specific modifier applies to the service.
`11`	Primary procedure	Use when this PLA test is the primary service billed for the encounter.
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when documented work or complexity for the lab procedure exceeds typical expectations.
`26`	Professional component	Use if billing only the professional component of the test (interpretation) separate from the technical component.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the test was partially performed or limited compared to the full Onco4D protocol.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use when the assay was started but discontinued for documented clinical reasons.
`62`	Two surgeons/dual operating surgeon	Rarely applicable; use if two qualified providers share primary responsibility for a procedure that supplied tissue for the assay.
`78`	Return to OR for related procedure following initial procedure	Use when a reoperation occurs that yields additional tissue for repeat testing.
`80`	Assistant surgeon	Use when an assistant surgeon (documented) participated in the tissue procurement procedure.
`82`	Assistant surgeon when qualified resident unavailable	Use where an assistant is billed because a qualified resident was not available for the tissue procurement.
`AD`	Medical supervision by a physician: partial hospitalization	Use when applicable supervision circumstances match this modifier in facility billing contexts.
`TC`	Technical component	Use when billing only the technical component of the Onco4D assay (laboratory processing and analysis).
`QK`	Medical direction of 2-4 ancillary personnel	Use when a physician oversees laboratory personnel performing parts of the test under medical direction.
`QX`	Modifier for non-physician practitioner billing requirements (e.g., assistant)	Use when billing requires attestation of qualifying non-physician participation.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RH0000X	Hematology & Medical Oncology	Medical oncologists order and interpret chemosensitivity testing to guide systemic therapy.
207K00000X	Surgical Oncology	Surgical oncologists or general surgeons obtain tumor specimens and coordinate tissue submission.
261QM0800X	Clinical Pathology	Pathologists and clinical laboratory specialists oversee specimen processing and verification.
204R00000X	Radiation Oncology	Radiation oncologists may use assay results when considering combined modality therapy.
208000000X	Internal Medicine	Medical internists or hospitalists coordinate inpatient specimen handling and ordering in complex cases.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`C18.9`	Malignant neoplasm of colon, unspecified	Colorectal cancers commonly require chemosensitivity testing to guide systemic chemotherapy selection in metastatic disease.
`C50.911`	Malignant neoplasm of unspecified site of right female breast	Breast carcinomas are frequently evaluated for chemosensitivity when selecting neoadjuvant or salvage chemotherapy.
`C34.90`	Malignant neoplasm of unspecified part of unspecified bronchus or lung	Non-small cell lung cancers may undergo functional assays to inform second-line systemic therapy decisions.
`C71.9`	Malignant neoplasm of brain, unspecified	Brain tumor tissue (when accessible) can be assessed for responsiveness to chemotherapy in recurrent disease.
`C61`	Malignant neoplasm of prostate	In selected advanced prostate cancers, tissue assays may inform chemotherapeutic options when standard hormone therapy fails.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`0083U`	Onco4D™ motility contrast tomography test for chemosensitivity (proprietary PLA)	The primary PLA code describing the Onco4D assay performed on fresh or frozen tumor tissue.
`88305`	Level IV surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination	Often performed on the submitted tumor specimen to provide histologic diagnosis and guide selection of tissue for the Onco4D assay.
`88005`	Pathology consult, frozen section intraoperative consultation	Used when intraoperative decisions require rapid assessment of tissue viability or tumor presence prior to sending tissue for specialized testing.
`88172`	Flow cytometry; interpretation and report	May be performed on tumor specimens when immunophenotyping is needed in parallel to functional assays for treatment planning.
`88342`	Immunohistochemistry, per single antigen/antibody label	Performed on the same specimen to characterize biomarkers that complement chemosensitivity results.
`99223`	Initial hospital care, high severity	Billing for initial hospital evaluation when complex inpatients undergo biopsy and specialized testing; documents physician evaluation associated with tissue procurement.