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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesFluoroscopic GuidanceCPT cpt-77002-fluoroscopic-needle-placement-guidance
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    CPT 77002: Fluoroscopic Guidance for Needle Placement (Non‑Spine)

    Medicare pays $84 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 77002 describes fluoroscopic guidance for placement of a needle for biopsy, aspiration, injection, or localization of a device to detect lesions or to identify the level and approach for initial needle placement; the service is an image-guided procedure performed by a provider using fluoroscopy and is typically done in an outpatient imaging suite, interventional radiology suite, or procedure room (non‑spine areas of the body).

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Orthopedic Joint Procedures of the Knee for Managed Medicaid (MMC), Health and Recovery Plan (HARP), Child Health Plus (CHP), and Essential Plan (EP) Members, Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation or Implantation Corporate Medical Policy, Autologous Platelet-Derived Growth Factors (Platelet-Rich Plasma [PRP]).

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    Table of contents

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 58-year-old patient presents with a palpable soft-tissue mass in the right lateral thigh identified on clinical exam and ultrasound. The referring orthopedic surgeon requests tissue diagnosis to exclude malignancy. The interventional radiologist reviews prior imaging, obtains informed consent, and performs a fluoroscopically guided percutaneous needle biopsy using 77002 to localize the lesion and guide initial needle placement. The patient is positioned on the fluoroscopy table, sterile prep and local anesthesia are applied, and intermittent fluoroscopic images are used to identify the lesion and determine trajectory. After localization, the radiologist marks the skin entry site and documents the fluoroscopic guidance used to place the biopsy needle; the actual biopsy may be reported with a separate tissue sampling code. Post-procedure, the patient is observed for immediate complications and given discharge instructions. Typical sites of service include the hospital radiology department, ambulatory surgical center, or outpatient imaging center.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    77012Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement (radiological supervision and interpretation)Often used for subsequent fluoroscopic guidance and continuous imaging during the actual needle placement and sampling; may be reported when full imaging guidance is provided.
    32905Thoracentesis, needle drainage, aspiration of pleural spaceMay follow fluoroscopic localization when aspiration of pleural collections requires image guidance.
    19081Percutaneous needle core biopsy of breast with imaging guidanceFor breast lesions, 77002 may be used to localize and identify approach prior to performing a core biopsy coded with 19081.
    38500Biopsy or excision of lymph node; superficialFollowing fluoroscopic localization, surgical biopsy codes like this may be used when tissue sampling is performed surgically.
    76942Ultrasonic guidance for needle placementAlternative or adjunct to fluoroscopic guidance; used when ultrasound guidance is employed instead of or in addition to fluoroscopy.

    Related Modifiers

    10 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    50Modifier –50 (Bilateral Procedure) is appended to a CPT code when an identical procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures during the same operative session. The AMA states to add…- Use modifier -50 when the same CPT surgical, diagnostic, or radiology procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures (both sides of the body) during the same operative/session by the same…
    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…
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207X00000X
    2084P0800X
    363L00000X
    208600000X
    163W00000X
    2472D0500X
    311500000X
    251G00000X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    27 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    C16.9Malignant neoplasm of stomach, unspecified
    C18.9Malignant neoplasm of colon, unspecified
    C22.9Malignant neoplasm of liver, not specified as primary or secondary
    C34.90Malignant neoplasm of unspecified part of unspecified bronchus or lung
    C50.919Malignant neoplasm of unspecified site of unspecified female breast
    C61Malignant neoplasm of prostate
    C71.9Malignant neoplasm of brain, unspecified
    D49.1Neoplasm of unspecified behavior of respiratory system
    D49.2Neoplasm of unspecified behavior of bone, soft tissue, and skin
    D49.3Neoplasm of unspecified behavior of breast

    Showing 1–10 of 27

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Orthopedics/Musculoskeletal1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Orthopedic Joint Procedures of the Knee for Managed Medicaid (MMC), Health and Recovery Plan (HARP), Child Health Plus (CHP), and Essential Plan (EP) Membersuniverahealthcare2027-01-01
    Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation or Implantation Corporate Medical Policybcbsvermont2026-12-01
    Autologous Platelet-Derived Growth Factors (Platelet-Rich Plasma [PRP])Cigna2026-10-15
    Metatarsophalangeal Joint ReplacementCigna2026-10-15
    Shoulder Arthroplasty (Total, Partial, Reverse, Revision and Resurfacing)univerahealthcare2026-10-15
    Hip Arthroplasty (partial and total hip replacement)univerahealthcare2026-10-15
    Artificial Lumbar Intervertebral Disc (Lumbar Total Disc Arthroplasty)univerahealthcare2026-10-15
    Osteochondral Grafting of the Kneeuniverahealthcare2026-10-15
    Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Resurfacinguniverahealthcare2026-10-15
    Lumbar Fusion (arthrodesis) with decompressionuniverahealthcare2026-10-15

    Related Codes

    CPT-77001-CVAD-RADIOLOGIC-SUPERVISION-INTERPRETATION-CATHETER-POSITION

    CPT 77001: Venography and Radiologic Supervision for CVAD Procedures

    CPT-77003-FLUOROSCOPIC-SPINAL-GUIDANCE-NEEDLE-CATHETER-LOCALIZATION

    CPT 77003: Fluoroscopic Guidance for Spinal Needle/Catheter Placement

    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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