Summary & Overview
CPT 36247: Selective Catheterization for Third‑Order Abdominal/Pelvic/Lower Extremity Artery
CPT code 36247 identifies selective catheter placement for angiography in a third‑order or more selective abdominal, pelvic, or lower extremity arterial branch. This procedure enables detailed vascular imaging and targeted access for diagnostic evaluation or adjunctive endovascular therapy. Nationally, angiographic selective catheterization is a key component of vascular diagnostic services and interventional workflows, affecting hospital and outpatient interventional radiology resource use and reimbursement patterns.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context for CPT code 36247, typical sites of service, and what to expect in coverage considerations across major national payers. The publication also summarizes common billing relationships and coding adjacency relevant to selective angiography procedures.
This resource provides benchmarks and policy context relevant to coding and billing teams, clinical program managers, and revenue cycle staff. Content covers national-level payer coverage patterns, points of coding clarity for selective third‑order catheter placement, and the clinical situations in which this CPT code is used. Data not available in the input for specific payer rates, utilization metrics, or associated ICD‑10 diagnoses are noted as not provided.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 36247 describes a selective catheter placement for angiography in a third order or more selective abdominal, pelvic, or lower extremity artery branch within a vascular family. Angiography is an X‑ray study of blood vessels using a radiopaque contrast agent to visualize vascular anatomy for diagnosis and treatment planning.
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Service type: Diagnostic and interventional vascular angiography involving selective catheter placement within a tertiary (third‑order or more) arterial branch.
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Typical site of service: Hospital interventional radiology suite, hospital-based catheterization lab, or ambulatory surgical center where advanced vascular imaging and catheter procedures are performed.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 68-year-old male with a history of peripheral arterial disease and progressive right lower-extremity claudication is referred for diagnostic arterial angiography to define the anatomy of distal femoral and tibial branches prior to consideration of endovascular intervention. The patient presents to the hospital angiography suite after noninvasive testing (ankle-brachial index and arterial duplex) demonstrates multi-level disease with suspected occlusion of a tibial branch. Under conscious sedation, vascular access is obtained (commonly common femoral artery). A guide catheter is advanced to the appropriate vascular family (e.g., superficial femoral artery), and selective catheterization is performed into a third-order or more distal branch of the lower-extremity arterial tree for contrast injection and X-ray imaging. Images are obtained to localize stenosis or occlusion and to plan possible percutaneous transluminal angioplasty or atherectomy during the same session if indicated. Typical sites of service include the hospital angiography/vascular interventional suite or an outpatient hospital-based or ambulatory surgical center interventional radiology suite. Typical clinical workflow: pre-procedure consent and review of indications and anticoagulation; vascular access and catheter selection; selective catheter placement into a third-order or more distal abdominal/pelvic/lower-extremity arterial branch; contrast angiography with image acquisition; interpretation and documentation of findings; optional immediate endovascular treatment or staged intervention; post-procedure monitoring and discharge instructions.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 |