Summary & Overview
CPT 31717: Tracheal Brush Biopsy for Airway Sampling
CPT code 31717 represents a minimally invasive airway sampling procedure in which a catheter-mounted brush is advanced into the trachea to collect brush biopsy specimens for cytology and pathology. This code captures a focused diagnostic technique used when endoscopic visualization or suspicion of airway mucosal disease requires targeted cellular sampling. Nationally, procedures like this affect hospital outpatient and ambulatory surgery workflows, pathology utilization, and reimbursement policy for respiratory and thoracic diagnostic services.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for CPT code 31717, typical sites of service, common billing considerations, and how the procedure fits into broader diagnostic pathways for airway disease. The publication supplies benchmarks and coding guidance relevant to billing teams and revenue cycle professionals, highlights possible policy updates that influence coverage and documentation expectations, and situates the code among related endoscopic and pathology services.
This summary is intended for a national audience of clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts seeking a practical overview of CPT code 31717 and its role in respiratory diagnostic care.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 31717 describes a procedure in which a provider advances a catheter with an attached brush through the trachea to the target airway site to obtain brush biopsies for pathology. This is an airway sampling procedure performed to collect cellular specimens from the trachea or bronchial tree for diagnostic evaluation.
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Service type: Endoscopic airway brushing/biopsy
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Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center, often performed in conjunction with bronchoscopy or other airway endoscopy procedures
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 62-year-old current or former smoker who presents with persistent cough, hemoptysis, or an abnormal chest imaging study (CT chest showing a suspicious endobronchial lesion or focal airway narrowing). The pulmonology team evaluates the patient in an outpatient bronchology suite or an inpatient bronchoscopy unit. After pre-procedure assessment and informed consent, the patient undergoes flexible bronchoscopy under moderate sedation or general anesthesia. The provider advances a protected catheter with an attached cytology brush through the bronchoscope into the trachea and bronchial tree to the target lesion. Brush biopsies are obtained for cytologic and pathologic analysis when forceps biopsies are not feasible or to complement tissue biopsies. Specimens are submitted to pathology and cytology for tumor cell identification, microbiology, or ancillary testing (e.g., molecular studies). Typical sites of service are the hospital operating room, endoscopy/bronchoscopy suite, or outpatient ambulatory surgical center. Indications include evaluation of suspected malignancy, central airway lesions, unexplained hemoptysis, or cytologic surveillance of known airway disease.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when reporting only the physician’s interpretive or professional portion separate from the technical component (rare for this code). |