Summary & Overview
CPT 36217: Selective Angiography of Third-Order Thoracic/Brachiocephalic Branches
CPT code 36217 represents selective catheterization of each third-order or smaller thoracic or brachiocephalic branch, generally performed to obtain angiographic visualization of small, distal arterial branches. This code is clinically important for diagnosing vascular disease in thoracic and brachiocephalic territories and may influence downstream diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Nationally, utilization of detailed selective angiography supports precise lesion localization and procedural planning for endovascular or surgical interventions.
Key payers included in this analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for CPT code 36217, the typical service setting, and which payers commonly cover such procedures. The publication outlines payment and coding benchmarks where available, summarizes relevant policy considerations that affect claim adjudication, and situates the code within common procedural workflows used by interventional radiology and vascular surgery teams.
This summary provides clinicians, billing professionals, and policy analysts with the operational context for CPT code 36217, including when the code applies, typical sites of service, and the types of diagnostic goals associated with selective third-order branch angiography. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 36217 describes advancing a catheter into each third-order or smaller thoracic or brachiocephalic branch within a vascular family, typically to perform angiography of these arteries. This procedure involves selective catheterization of small, distal arterial branches to visualize vessel anatomy and assess for stenosis, occlusion, or other vascular pathology.
-
Service type: Diagnostic angiographic catheterization of third-order or smaller thoracic or brachiocephalic branches
-
Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department or interventional radiology/cardiovascular catheterization laboratory
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 68-year-old patient with progressive right arm claudication and a history of peripheral arterial disease is referred to interventional radiology for diagnostic angiography of the upper thoracic and brachiocephalic arterial branches. The procedure is performed in an outpatient vascular interventional suite or hospital catheterization lab under moderate sedation. The vascular interventionalist obtains arterial access (commonly via common femoral or radial artery), advances guidewires and catheters into the aortic arch, selectively engages the brachiocephalic and subclavian arterial origins, and then advances a catheter into third-order or smaller thoracic or brachiocephalic branches to perform detailed digital subtraction angiography. Images are obtained to define stenosis, occlusion, or aneurysmal disease and to guide potential endovascular therapy (angioplasty, stent placement) performed during the same session or scheduled subsequently. Standard periprocedural workflow includes informed consent, anticoagulation review, sterile catheter insertion, contrast administration with image acquisition, hemostasis at the access site, and post-procedure monitoring for access complications and contrast reactions.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
11 | Normal or routine services | Use when the procedure is performed without unusual circumstances and represents the usual level of service |