Summary & Overview
CPT 31510: Diagnostic Laryngoscopy with Biopsy
CPT code 31510 represents a diagnostic laryngoscopy with biopsy: a clinician visualizes the larynx using a laryngeal mirror and obtains tissue samples from suspicious lesions. This procedure is central to the evaluation of voice changes, suspected laryngeal cancer, and other structural or mucosal abnormalities of the voice box, and it influences clinical decision‑making by providing tissue for definitive histologic diagnosis. Nationally, the code is relevant across outpatient, ambulatory surgery, and hospital outpatient settings.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find benchmarks for utilization and reimbursement patterns, discussion of coding and documentation considerations, and the clinical context that informs appropriate use. The summary provides guidance on where this service typically occurs, the primary clinical indications, and common modifiers that appear with the procedure (modifier list: Data not available in the input.).
The publication equips billing analysts, compliance officers, and clinical leaders with the coding definition, service expectations, and national payer context for CPT code 31510, supporting accurate claims submission and alignment of clinical documentation with coding requirements. Data not available in the input for certain elements such as associated taxonomies, ICD‑10 diagnoses, and payer-specific fee schedules.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 31510 describes a diagnostic and minor operative procedure in which a provider uses a laryngeal mirror to visualize the larynx (voice box) and performs a biopsy of abnormal or diseased laryngeal tissue. The procedure combines direct inspection of the laryngeal structures with tissue sampling for histopathologic evaluation.
Service type: Diagnostic laryngoscopy with biopsy
Typical site of service: Outpatient clinic or ambulatory surgical center, or hospital outpatient department depending on provider setting and patient needs.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 55-year-old smoker who presents to the otolaryngology clinic with several weeks of progressive hoarseness, throat pain, and intermittent hemoptysis. Flexible nasal endoscopy in clinic reveals an irregular-appearing lesion on the true vocal cord. After discussion of risks and benefits, the patient is scheduled for direct laryngoscopy with diagnostic laryngeal examination using a laryngeal mirror and biopsy of the abnormal tissue under monitored anesthesia care.
The clinical workflow includes preoperative evaluation (history, focused airway exam, informed consent), perioperative anesthesia clearance (often monitored anesthesia care or general anesthesia), operative laryngoscopy with visualization using a laryngeal mirror or microlaryngoscopy setup, targeted biopsy of the lesion, specimen handling and submission to pathology, and immediate post-anesthesia recovery with discharge instructions. Pathology results guide subsequent management such as definitive excision, radiation, or oncologic referral.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
11 | Provider is the usual or performing practitioner (default) | Use when the service is performed under normal circumstances by the reporting provider |
22 |