Summary & Overview
CPT 36005: Extremity Venography with Contrast Injection
CPT code 36005 represents contrast injection into an extremity vein for diagnostic venography, typically performed to identify venous disorders such as blood clots. This imaging procedure is a targeted vascular diagnostic service that supports clinical decision-making for conditions like deep vein thrombosis and other venous pathologies. Nationally, accurate coding for venography is important for clinical tracking, resource allocation, and consistent billing across outpatient and hospital settings.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication provides a concise overview of clinical context, common sites of service, payer coverage considerations, and the typical billing environment for this procedure.
Readers will learn the clinical purpose of CPT code 36005, the typical settings where the service is provided, and what to expect in payer coverage landscapes. The report also outlines benchmarking and policy-relevant considerations where available. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 36005 describes injection of contrast into a vein of an extremity for venography to evaluate for venous disorders such as deep vein thrombosis. The procedure includes introducing a needle or intracatheter to administer contrast and obtain diagnostic imaging.
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Service type: Diagnostic vascular imaging
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Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department, radiology or vascular laboratory, or ambulatory surgical/diagnostic center
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old female presents to the vascular imaging suite with unilateral lower extremity swelling, pain, and increased calf tenderness over 3 days. The clinician suspects an acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after a limited duplex ultrasound is inconclusive due to obesity and extensive soft-tissue edema. The patient has a history of recent immobilization following orthopedic surgery. The vascular interventional radiologist obtains informed consent, confirms intravenous access, and performs extremity venography by introducing a needle or intracatheter into a peripheral vein of the affected limb and injecting iodinated contrast while obtaining fluoroscopic images to evaluate venous patency and identify clot, stenosis, or anatomic variants. The procedure is typically performed in an outpatient radiology or hospital interventional suite under moderate sedation or monitored anesthesia care when indicated. Post-procedure, the patient is observed for access-site bleeding, allergic reaction to contrast, and renal function changes if at risk; imaging findings guide further management such as anticoagulation, thrombolysis, or endovascular intervention.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | When reporting only the physician interpretation separate from technical component |
50 |