Summary & Overview
CPT 75746: Pulmonary Artery Angiography, Radiology Supervision & Interpretation
CPT code 75746 denotes the radiological supervision and interpretation associated with nonselective placement of a catheter or venous injection in the pulmonary artery for angiographic evaluation. This code captures the professional imaging oversight and interpretive service that enables visualization of pulmonary vasculature using radiopaque contrast. Nationally, accurate reporting of this code matters for clinical documentation, facility coordination, and appropriate professional fee capture for pulmonary angiography procedures.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the clinical context of the code, typical sites of service, and the role this supervision/interpretation code plays in the procedural billing line. The publication also outlines common modifiers used with this service and summarizes benchmarking and policy considerations where available.
The analysis provides clinicians, billers, and policy stakeholders with an overview of coding purpose, payer coverage scope, and areas where documentation drives correct use of the code. Data not available in the input is clearly noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 75746 describes radiological supervision and interpretation of nonselective catheter placement or venous injection in the pulmonary artery during an angiographic procedure. Angiography uses a radiopaque contrast agent to visualize blood vessels under X‑ray to assist clinicians in diagnosing and treating vascular and cardiopulmonary conditions.
Service Type: Radiological supervision and interpretation for pulmonary artery angiography (nonselective catheter placement / venous injection)
Typical Site of Service: Hospital radiology suite, interventional radiology department, or inpatient/outpatient imaging centers where angiographic procedures and fluoroscopic guidance are performed.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 62-year-old inpatient with progressive hypoxemia and suspected pulmonary embolism undergoes diagnostic imaging. The patient has acute shortness of breath, pleuritic chest pain, and elevated D-dimer. The interventional radiology team performs a pulmonary angiographic study using a nonselective pulmonary artery catheter injection with radiopaque contrast to visualize pulmonary arterial anatomy and identify filling defects.
The clinical workflow: the patient is transported to the angiography suite (often in the hospital radiology department or cardiac catheterization lab). After informed consent and assessment for contrast allergy and renal function, vascular access is obtained (typically via a central venous or femoral venous approach). A catheter is advanced to the main pulmonary artery and a nonselective injection is performed while fluoroscopic imaging is recorded. The radiologist provides real-time supervision and interprets the images, documenting findings and impression in the radiology report. Post-procedure monitoring occurs in a recovery area or inpatient unit for hemodynamic and access-site assessment.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when reporting only the physician interpretation of the angiographic images separate from technical components. |