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    OpenPayerBilling CodesExcision and Destruction Procedures on the Abdomen, Peritoneum, and OmentumCPT cpt-49180-percutaneous-abdominal-needle-biopsy
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    CPT 49180: Percutaneous Abdominal/Retroperitoneal Needle Biopsy

    Medicare pays $176 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 49180 describes a percutaneous biopsy procedure in which a needle is inserted through the abdominal wall to obtain tissue from within or behind the abdominal cavity for pathologic analysis; this service is a percutaneous abdominal/retroperitoneal needle biopsy typically performed in an ambulatory surgical center, hospital outpatient department, or interventional radiology suite using imaging guidance and sterile technique to sample a suspicious mass or lesion for diagnostic evaluation.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Surgical Procedures, Outpatient Surgical Procedures - Site of Service, Site of Service Ambulatory Service Center (ASC) Select — Surgical or Diagnostic Procedures in Adults.

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    Table of contents

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 58-year-old patient presents to the outpatient interventional radiology suite with a new, palpable, and imaging-identified intra-abdominal mass near the liver noted on ultrasound and CT. The clinician discusses risks and benefits and obtains informed consent for an image-guided percutaneous abdominal mass biopsy. Under conscious sedation and ultrasound or CT guidance, a core needle is advanced through the anterior abdominal wall into the lesion. One or more tissue cores are obtained and sent to the pathology laboratory for histologic and immunohistochemical analysis to determine whether the mass represents a primary malignancy, metastatic disease, infection, or benign process. Relevant clinical workflow steps include pre-procedure assessment and informed consent, site marking and imaging review, sterile preparation and local anesthesia, image-guided needle placement, tissue acquisition, specimen labeling and documentation, post-procedure monitoring for complications (bleeding, infection, organ injury), pathology result review, and communication of findings to the referring provider for definitive management planning.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    10021Fine needle aspiration without imaging guidanceAlternative sampling technique when a cytologic FNA is chosen instead of core biopsy; may be performed prior to or instead of core biopsy.
    10022Fine needle aspiration with imaging guidanceUsed when imaging guidance is employed for FNA; alternative to core needle biopsy when cytology is appropriate.
    76937Ultrasound guidance for percutaneous proceduresRepresents real-time ultrasound guidance provided during needle biopsy when ultrasound is used.
    77012CT guidance for needle placement (initial localization and imaging)Used when CT guidance is used to localize and guide the percutaneous biopsy needle.
    77021Magnetic resonance guidance for percutaneous proceduresUsed when MRI guidance is employed for needle localization and biopsy guidance.
    88172Cytopathology, immediate cytologic evaluationUsed if on-site immediate evaluation (rapid on-site assessment, ROSE) of biopsy specimen adequacy is performed by a cytopathologist or trained personnel.

    Related Modifiers

    8 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    77Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…
    79Modifier 79 indicates a surgical procedure performed during the postoperative global period of a prior surgery that is unrelated to the original procedure. Per AMA/CPT and CMS guidance, it is…- Use modifier 79 when the same physician (or same‑specialty physician in the same group) performs a surgical procedure during the postoperative global period of a prior surgery and the new procedure…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    2080P0201X
    207K00000X
    207L00000X
    2085R0205X
    2471C3401X
    163WX0003X
    2471C3402X
    163WU0100X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    23 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    C16.9Malignant neoplasm of stomach, unspecified
    C18.9Malignant neoplasm of colon, unspecified
    C48.2Malignant neoplasm of peritoneum, unspecified
    C56.9Malignant neoplasm of unspecified ovary
    C78.4Secondary malignant neoplasm of small intestine
    C78.6Secondary malignant neoplasm of retroperitoneum and peritoneum
    C78.7Secondary malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile duct
    D37.3Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of appendix
    I82.401Acute embolism and thrombosis of unspecified deep veins of right lower extremity
    K35.80Unspecified acute appendicitis

    Showing 1–10 of 23

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: General Surgery1 / 2

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Surgical ProceduresUnitedHealthcare2026-09-01
    Outpatient Surgical Procedures - Site of ServiceUnitedHealthcare2026-09-01
    Site of Service Ambulatory Service Center (ASC) Select — Surgical or Diagnostic Procedures in AdultsPremera Bluecross2026-09-01
    Site of Service Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Select — Surgical or Diagnostic Procedures in AdultsPremera Bluecross2026-09-01
    Site of Service Ambulatory Service Center (ASC) SelectPremera Bluecross2026-09-01
    Site of Service Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Select — Site of Service for Ambulatory Surgical Procedures (ASC Select)Premera Bluecross2026-09-01
    Site of Service Ambulatory Service Center (ASC) SelectPremera Bluecross2026-09-01
    Outpatient Surgical Procedures - Site of Servicesierra health and life2026-08-01
    Medical Necessity Guidelines — Inpatient Surgical CareMass General Brigham Health Plan2026-08-01
    Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) - Site of Care PolicyKaiser Permanente2026-08-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-49185-PERCUTANEOUS-CHEMICAL-DESTRUCTION-FLUID-COLLECTION

    CPT 49185: Percutaneous Chemical Destruction of Fluid Collection

    CPT-49186-OPEN-ABDOMINAL-EXCISION-DESTRUCTION-SMALL-TUMORS-CYSTS

    CPT 49186: Open Excision/Destruction of Abdominal Tumors or Cysts ≤5 cm

    CPT-49187-OPEN-ABDOMINAL-TUMOR-CYST-EXCISION-5-1-10CM

    CPT 49187: Open Excision or Destruction of Abdominal Tumors/Cysts, 5.1–10 cm

    CPT-49188-OPEN-EXCISION-ABDOMINAL-TUMORS-10-1-20-CM

    CPT 49188: Open Abdominal Excision/Destruction of Tumor(s)/Cyst(s)

    CPT-49189-OPEN-ABDOMINAL-TUMOR-CYST-EXCISION-20-1-30CM

    CPT 49189: Open Excision/Destruction of Abdominal Tumors or Cysts (20.1–30 cm)

    CPT-49190-OPEN-ABDOMINAL-TUMOR-CYST-EXCISION-DESTRUCTION-OVER-30CM

    CPT 49190: Open Excision/Destruction of Abdominal Tumors or Cysts >30 cm

    CPT-49215-SACROCOCCYGEAL-MASS-EXCISION

    CPT 49215: Excision of Sacrococcygeal Tumor

    CPT-49250-UMBILICAL-EXCISION-HERNIA-INFECTION

    CPT 49250: Excision of Umbilicus (Umbilectomy)

    CPT-49255-OMENTECTOMY-FOR-METASTATIC-ABDOMINAL-PELVIC-CANCER

    CPT 49255: Omentectomy, Excision of Omentum for Metastatic Disease

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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