Summary & Overview
CPT 74340: Imaging Supervision and Interpretation for Duodenal Balloon-Tipped Tube
CPT code 74340 denotes the imaging supervision and interpretation component for fluoroscopically guided placement of a balloon-tipped tube into the duodenum to evaluate or treat small intestinal or gastric disorders. This code is used when the imaging oversight and diagnostic interpretation are reported separately from the technical insertion procedure. Nationally, proper reporting of S&I codes like 74340 affects billing accuracy, claims processing, and measurement of professional imaging services associated with interventional gastrointestinal procedures.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the code's clinical context and service setting, common billing modifiers associated with imaging S&I services, and the typical scenarios where separate reporting is appropriate. The publication highlights benchmarks and payment policy considerations relevant to professional imaging supervision and interpretation, and outlines how the code interfaces with facility-based procedural reporting. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 74340 describes imaging supervision and interpretation for a procedure in which a provider inserts a balloon-tipped tube into the first portion of the small intestine (duodenum) to examine the small intestine for abnormalities and to diagnose or treat gastric disorders or blockages. This code represents only the supervision and interpretation (S&I) component of that procedure when imaging guidance is performed and reported separately from the technical procedure.
Service type: Imaging supervision and interpretation (S&I)
Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department, ambulatory surgical center, or endoscopy suite
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old patient with a history of recurrent partial small-bowel obstruction and persistent upper abdominal pain is referred for placement of a balloon-tipped nasoenteric tube into the proximal small intestine (duodenum) to evaluate and manage suspected gastric outlet obstruction and proximal small-bowel pathology. The procedure is performed by a gastroenterologist in an endoscopy suite or hospital radiology/interventional fluoroscopy suite. The procedural workflow: pre-procedure consent and clinical assessment, sedation per institutional protocols, endoscopic or fluoroscopic insertion of the balloon-tipped tube into the duodenum by the proceduralist, and simultaneous fluoroscopic imaging supervision and interpretation by the radiologist or credentialed imaging provider to confirm proper tube position and to document anatomic findings. Post-procedure documentation includes the imaging interpretation report, procedural notes describing tube placement, any immediate complications, and instructions for nursing and ordering clinicians for ongoing management or enteral decompression/feeding. Typical site of service: endoscopy suite, radiology/interventional suite, or inpatient hospital when placement is performed for acute obstruction. Service type: imaging supervision and interpretation (S&I) only for duodenal balloon-tipped tube placement; report 74340 when only the imaging S&I is billed separately from the tube placement procedure.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 |