Summary & Overview
CPT 0349T: Upper-Extremity Implant Motion and Wear Interpretation
CPT code 0349T covers the professional interpretation of two-dimensional images of the upper extremity (shoulder, elbow, wrist) to evaluate motion, quality, and wear of an implant or prosthesis with the aid of previously placed tantalum markers. This code captures a specialized, device-focused imaging interpretation that supports postoperative surveillance, suspected implant failure, and decisions about revision or conservative management. Nationally, the code matters because implant surveillance and motion analysis are increasingly relevant as joint-preserving and reconstructive procedures expand and device longevity becomes a policy and cost consideration.
Key payers reviewed in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context and appropriate settings for the code, benchmarks for utilization and payment where available, and notes on coding considerations that affect billing and claims processing. The publication also outlines common sites of service and the clinical scenarios in which interpretation of tantalum-marker–assisted imaging is used.
What readers will learn: the clinical purpose of CPT code 0349T, typical use cases in postoperative and diagnostic workflows, which major payers cover this service, and where to look for policy language or reimbursement guidance. Data not available in the input is clearly identified where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0349T describes interpretation of two-dimensional imaging of the upper extremity — which may include the shoulder, elbow, and/or wrist — to analyze the motion, quality, and wear of an implant or prosthesis using previously placed tantalum markers. This service involves a provider reviewing and interpreting imaging sequences to assess implant positioning, kinematics, and evidence of wear or loosening.
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Service type: Diagnostic imaging interpretation for implant or prosthesis evaluation
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Typical site of service: Outpatient imaging center, hospital radiology department, or ambulatory surgical center where upper-extremity implant imaging is performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 65-year-old who previously underwent total shoulder arthroplasty with tantalum markers placed in peri-implant bone to enable motion analysis. The patient presents with progressive shoulder pain, decreased range of motion, and mechanical symptoms months to years after implantation. The orthopaedic surgeon orders dynamic, two-dimensional fluoroscopic or radiographic image acquisition with interpretation to analyze implant motion, wear patterns, component loosening, and relative kinematics of humeral and glenoid components using the previously placed tantalum markers.
The clinical workflow: the patient arrives to an outpatient radiology or orthopaedic imaging suite (often in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital radiology department). A technologist obtains motion images of the shoulder (and, if indicated, elbow or wrist) during standard active or passive motion sequences. Images are transferred to the interpreting provider (orthopaedic surgeon or musculoskeletal radiologist) who reviews marker-based kinematic sequences, documents implant motion/quality/wear, and generates a formal report. Results guide clinical decisions such as observation, physical therapy, targeted imaging, or revision surgery planning.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | When only the physician interpretation is reported separate from technical image acquisition |