Summary & Overview
CPT 0847T: Digital Pathology Slide Scanning and Digitization
CPT code 0847T is an add-on code for clinical staff work to scan and digitize whole–slide images from glass microscope slides to support immediate or later pathologic diagnosis. As digital pathology capabilities expand, this code captures a discrete operational step — slide digitization — that enables telepathology, image analysis, and archival retrieval. Nationally, recognition of digital pathology services affects laboratory workflows, capital planning for scanners, and coding practices across hospital and independent pathology labs.
Key payers covered include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of what the code represents, typical sites of service, and the clinical context for its use. The publication outlines expected reporting scenarios where 0847T is billed as an add-on unit associated with slide selection for molecular testing and pathology review. It also summarizes common modifiers reported with the service and notes where input data was not provided.
The piece provides practical benchmarks, coding relationships, and policy context to inform billing teams, laboratory managers, and policy analysts about how digitization of pathology slides is being classified and documented in claims. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0847T describes clinical staff work performed to scan and digitize whole–slide images from glass microscope slides for immediate or later pathologic diagnosis. This add-on code is reported for the digitization step that supports pathologic review and downstream diagnostic workflows.
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Service type: Digital pathology slide scanning and image digitization performed by clinical staff
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Typical site of service: Pathology laboratory or hospital-based pathology department where glass slides are prepared and scanned for diagnostic use
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 62-year-old woman with a history of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast previously underwent lumpectomy and tissue fixation. Archived paraffin blocks and glass slides are retrieved by the pathology department when molecular testing is requested to guide targeted therapy. A pathology assistant or histotechnologist scans the selected archived glass slides to create whole-slide digital images for review and for selection of material for molecular testing. The digital images are used by the pathologist to identify tumor-rich areas and to mark regions for microdissection or macrodissection prior to sending material for DNA/RNA testing. The scanning can be performed immediately after slide selection for timely testing or batched for later review, and is reported as an add-on clinical staff service in conjunction with specimen selection for molecular testing.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when the scanning and digitization required substantially greater work beyond typical scanning (e.g., unusually complex specimen preparation or extensive annotation time). |
52 | Reduced services | Use when the scanning service was partially reduced or only a limited number of slides were digitized relative to the usual service. |