CPT 61624 Neuroembolization Reimbursement & Policy | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 61624: Transcatheter Neuroembolization for Permanent Vessel Occlusion

CPT code 61624 denotes a transcatheter permanent occlusion or embolization procedure performed within the central nervous system, including intracranial and spinal vessels. These endovascular neuroembolization procedures use imaging guidance to deposit occlusive materials that block blood flow to treat hemorrhage, target tumor vasculature, or close vascular malformations. Nationally, this code captures complex, resource-intensive interventional care delivered at hospitals and specialized neurointerventional centers.

Key payers assessed in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of coding intent and clinical context, typical sites of service, common practice patterns associated with neuroendovascular occlusion, and the payer landscape considered in the publication.

The report provides benchmark and coverage insights where available, outlines coding considerations tied to procedural complexity and setting, and highlights clinical scenarios in which permanent occlusion or embolization is commonly used. Data not available in the input is explicitly noted where applicable. This material is written for clinicians, coding professionals, and policy stakeholders seeking a clear, national-level summary of CPT code 61624 and its clinical use.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareCPT 61624neuroembolizationendovascularinterventional radiologyneurosurgeryvascular occlusionhospital outpatientinpatient procedures

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 61624 describes a transcatheter permanent occlusion or embolization procedure within the central nervous system (intracranial or spinal). The procedure uses imaging guidance to place occlusive or embolic materials into blood vessels to occlude flow, commonly performed to stop bleeding, destroy tumor vasculature, or close off abnormal blood vessels.

Service Type: Endovascular neuroembolization / transcatheter occlusion

Typical Site of Service: Hospital inpatient or outpatient interventional radiology/catheterization lab or hybrid operating room, commonly at centers with neurointerventional capability.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 62-year-old patient with a ruptured intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM) presents to the emergency department with acute headache, focal neurologic deficits, and intracranial hemorrhage on CT. Neurosurgery and interventional neuroradiology evaluate the patient and determine that endovascular embolization of the feeding pedicle(s) is indicated to occlude the abnormal vessel architecture and reduce hemorrhage risk prior to possible staged resection. Under general anesthesia in an angiography suite, the interventional neuroradiologist obtains arterial access, performs diagnostic cerebral angiography using fluoroscopic and digital subtraction imaging to localize feeders, and advances microcatheters into target vessels. Embolic materials (e.g., liquid embolic agents, coils, or particles) are delivered to achieve permanent occlusion. Post-procedure angiography confirms reduced shunt flow and absence of non-target embolization. The patient recovers in a neurocritical care unit with neurologic monitoring and follow-up imaging.

Typical clinical workflow steps:

Pre-procedure evaluation, informed consent, and review of prior imaging.
Vascular access and diagnostic cerebral angiography to map lesion anatomy.
Superselective catheterization of target vessel(s) and delivery of embolic agents under imaging guidance.
Completion angiography to document occlusion.
Post-procedure monitoring, imaging, and coordination of any subsequent surgical or radiosurgical interventions.

Coding Specifications

CPT 61642: Intracranial Angioplasty and Balloon Dilatation, Additional Vessel

CPT-61626-TRANSCATHETER-EMBOLIZATION-HEAD-NECK-EXTRACRANIAL-VESSELS

CPT 61626: Transcatheter Embolization of Extracranial Head/Neck Vessels

CPT-61623-TEMPORARY-BALLOON-OCCLUSION-NECK-ARTERY-ASSIST-PROCEDURE

CPT 61623: Temporary Balloon Occlusion of Neck Arteries Assisting Vascular Procedure

CPT-61640-INTRACRANIAL-ANGIOPLASTY-VASOSPASM-DILATION

CPT 61640: Intracranial Angioplasty for Vasospasm

CPT-61635-INTRACRANIAL-ANGIOPLASTY-STENT-PLACEMENT

CPT 61635: Intracranial Balloon Angioplasty with Stent Placement

CPT-61630-INTRACRANIAL-BALLOON-ANGIOPLASTY

CPT 61630: Intracranial Balloon Angioplasty

CPT-61641-INTRACRANIAL-ANGIOPLASTY-BALLOON-DILATATION-MULTI-VESSEL

CPT 61641: Intracranial Angioplasty and Balloon Dilatation, Additional Vessel

`26`	Professional component	Use when billing only the physician's interpretation/performance component separate from facility imaging or technical services.
`50`	Bilateral procedure	Use when the embolization is performed bilaterally in paired intracranial vasculature and payer requires bilateral modifier.
`51`	Multiple procedures	Use when `61624` is billed with additional distinct procedures during the same session and payer requires a multiple-procedure modifier.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the service is started but discontinued or significantly reduced (e.g., inability to complete embolization).
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use when the procedure is aborted for patient safety prior to performance of the primary service.
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two surgeons with different specialties perform distinct portions of the procedure simultaneously.
`66`	Team surgery	Use when a coordinated surgical team provides care requiring team modifier authority.
`76`	Repeat procedure by same physician	Use for an unplanned repeat embolization during the same operative episode.
`78`	Unplanned return to the operating room for a related procedure during the postoperative period	Use if the patient requires an urgent reintervention related to the initial embolization.
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period	Use for procedures unrelated to the original embolization during the global period.
`AS`	Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery	Use when an advanced practice clinician performs assistant duties and payer recognizes modifier `AS`.
`LT`	Left side	Use when documentation specifies left-sided intracranial target and payer requires laterality.
`RT`	Right side	Use when documentation specifies right-sided intracranial target and payer requires laterality.
`59`	Distinct procedural service	Use when embolization is separate and distinct from other diagnostic or therapeutic procedures performed the same day and documentation supports separate service.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`207RC0000X`	Neurological Surgery	Common primary specialty performing neuroendovascular procedures and surgical management of intracranial vascular lesions.
`207RH0000X`	Interventional Radiology	Physicians specializing in image-guided vascular interventions including intracranial embolization.
`2084P0800X`	Neurology (Interventional Neurology/Endovascular)	Neurologists with endovascular training who perform intracranial embolization for vascular lesions and strokes.
`363L00000X`	Physician Assistant	Common ancillary provider assisting in perioperative care and procedure coordination.
`253L00000X`	Registered Nurse First Assistant	May assist intraoperatively in complex neurointerventional cases.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`I60.9`	Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage, unspecified	Embolization is used to occlude ruptured vascular lesions (e.g., aneurysms/AVMs) causing subarachnoid hemorrhage.
`I67.1`	Cerebral aneurysm, nonruptured	Elective embolization is performed to occlude intracranial aneurysms to prevent rupture.
`I72.9`	Arterial aneurysm, unspecified	Applies to intracranial arterial aneurysms when more specific coding not available; embolization used to occlude aneurysm.
`Q28.2`	Arteriovenous malformation of cerebral vessels	AVMs are commonly treated with endovascular embolization to reduce shunt flow and hemorrhage risk.
`C71.9`	Malignant neoplasm of brain, unspecified	Preoperative embolization may be performed to devascularize highly vascular brain tumors prior to resection.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`36215`	Selective catheter placement, arterial system; each first-order thoracic or brachiocephalic branch, or selective catheter placement, intracranial vessels (first-order)	Often used for initial selective catheterization of cerebral arteries prior to embolization when reporting catheter placement separately.
`36216`	Selective catheter placement, arterial system; each additional first-order intracranial vessel accessed (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)	Reported when multiple distinct intracranial arterial first-order catheterizations are performed in the same session.
`61618`	Intracranial balloon occlusion or temporary occlusion for vascular control (other codes may apply)	May be performed as a temporary adjunct prior to permanent embolization in select cases.
`61635`	Endovascular therapy, intracranial, other than mechanical thrombectomy; for example, intracranial angioplasty and/or stent placement	Performed when embolization is combined with adjunctive angioplasty or stent placement for vessel reconstruction.
`36247`	Chemoembolization, any method, including selective catheterization when provided, for tumors of head or neck (example code for embolization procedures)	May be reported when embolization is used therapeutically for vascular tumors in the head/neck region; verify payer guidance for intracranial tumor embolization coding.

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