Summary & Overview
CPT 10035: Image-Guided Percutaneous Marker/Seed Placement
CPT code 10035 describes percutaneous placement of a small metallic or radioactive marker (seed) into tissue under image guidance to localize suspicious lesions for later surgical excision or radiation therapy. This procedure is an important component of multidisciplinary cancer care and diagnostic workflows because it enables precise targeting during definitive treatment and can improve operative efficiency and radiation planning.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise national overview of clinical context and service setting for CPT code 10035, typical sites of service, common billing and coding considerations, and payer coverage themes. The publication summarizes available benchmarks where provided, highlights relevant policy and coverage update areas affecting approval and prior authorization, and outlines operational implications for radiology and surgical teams.
The content is intended for billing managers, radiology and surgical program leaders, revenue cycle staff, and policy analysts seeking a clear national perspective on the clinical role and payer landscape of CPT code 10035 without state-specific detail. Data not available in the input will be noted explicitly in relevant sections.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 10035 describes placement of a small metallic or radioactive marker or seed into body tissue through a percutaneous needle to mark the precise location of suspicious tissue for a subsequent surgical procedure or radiation treatment. The provider uses image guidance such as fluoroscopy (live X-ray) or ultrasound to guide the needle and confirm accurate placement.
Service type: Image-guided percutaneous marker/seed placement
Typical site of service: Outpatient radiology/ambulatory imaging suite or hospital outpatient department, performed under local anesthesia with imaging support.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old woman with a 1.2 cm suspicious lesion in the right breast identified on screening mammography is referred for preoperative localization. The interventional radiology team performs percutaneous placement of a localization device (metallic seed or radioactive seed) under image guidance to mark the lesion prior to breast-conserving surgery. The patient arrives to the outpatient imaging suite, informed consent is confirmed, and sterile technique is used. Local anesthesia is infiltrated at the percutaneous entry site. Using real-time ultrasound or stereotactic/fluoroscopic guidance, the provider advances a needle to the lesion and deploys the marker. Postplacement mammographic or sonographic images document marker position and there is a brief recovery period before discharge. The surgical team uses the marker intraoperatively to guide excision; pathology subsequently confirms margins and diagnosis.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when only the physician interpretation/technical reading is billed separately from facility resources. |
50 | Bilateral procedure |