Summary & Overview
CPT 75889: Hepatic Venography with Hemodynamic Evaluation
CPT code 75889 denotes imaging supervision and interpretation for hepatic venography performed after contrast injection via a wedged or free hepatic vein catheter, combined with a hemodynamic assessment of hepatic pressures and blood flow. This procedure is important for diagnosing and characterizing portal hypertension, hepatic venous outflow obstruction, and other vascular disorders affecting the liver, and it supports clinical and interventional decision-making across hospital systems nationwide.
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 clinical purpose of the code, typical sites of service, and the types of information the procedure yields. The publication also summarizes common billing modifiers associated with imaging and procedure components and highlights related service-line context for interventional radiology and hepatology.
This report helps billing managers, clinicians, and policy analysts understand where CPT code 75889 fits within diagnostic vascular imaging, what clinical scenarios prompt its use, and what operational settings typically deliver the service. Data not available in the input are noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 75889 describes imaging supervision and interpretation of hepatic venography performed after injection of contrast material through a wedged or free catheter in the hepatic vein. The procedure includes a hemodynamic evaluation to assess hepatic blood pressures and flow, providing information about vascular structure and physiologic hemodynamics relevant to liver and portal circulation assessment.
Service Type: Diagnostic vascular imaging with hemodynamic assessment
Typical Site of Service: Hospital outpatient department or interventional radiology suite
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 56-year-old patient with chronic liver disease and suspected portal hypertension is referred by hepatology for hepatic venography with hemodynamic evaluation. The interventional radiology team schedules the patient for a fluoroscopically guided hepatic venogram performed via a transjugular approach using a wedged catheter in the hepatic vein to inject contrast and visualize hepatic venous anatomy and portal pressure gradients. Pre-procedure workflow includes informed consent, assessment of coagulation status, and review of recent imaging (ultrasound/CT). On the day of service the patient is placed under moderate sedation in an angiography suite; vascular access is obtained, the catheter is advanced to the hepatic vein, contrast injections are performed while real-time fluoroscopic images are acquired, and hemodynamic measurements (free and wedged hepatic venous pressures) are recorded. Post-procedure care includes monitoring for bleeding and contrast reactions, with results documented in an interpretive report that includes pressure measurements and images for the referring hepatologist and inclusion in the electronic medical record.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when only the physician interpretation/supervision component is billed separately from technical resources. |