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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesComputed Tomography GuidanceCPT cpt-77013-ct-guidance-and-monitoring-for-parenchymal-ablation
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    CPT 77013: CT Guidance and Monitoring for Parenchymal Ablation

    Medicare pays $181 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 77013 describes computed tomography (CT) guidance and monitoring used to locate organ or lesion parenchymal tissue and to monitor thermal or other ablation procedures; this service is imaging guidance and monitoring provided during an interventional ablation procedure and is typically performed in an outpatient interventional radiology suite or hospital procedure room where CT imaging is available.

    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 typical patient is a 62-year-old with a history of hepatocellular carcinoma referred for percutaneous tumor ablation. The interventional radiology team schedules the patient for image-guided thermal ablation of a 2.8 cm liver lesion. On the day of service the patient arrives to an outpatient interventional radiology suite or hospital-based procedure unit with pre-procedure consent and baseline labs (CBC, coagulation studies, liver panel). Conscious sedation or general anesthesia is coordinated with anesthesia services as indicated by the patient’s comorbidities and procedure complexity. The interventional radiologist obtains noncontrast and contrast-enhanced CT images to localize the lesion, plans the needle/probe trajectory, and places the ablation probe(s) under CT guidance. During ablation the radiologist uses intermittent CT imaging to monitor probe position and the evolving ablation zone for adequate margins and to detect complications such as hemorrhage or gas embolism. After adequate ablation is confirmed, final CT images document immediate post-procedure appearance. The radiology professional reports the technical and/or professional components according to facility billing practices; use 77013 to report only CT guidance and monitoring of parenchymal tissue ablation when CT guidance is the imaging modality used.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    74350CT abdomen and pelvis with contrastPre-procedure diagnostic CT to localize lesion and plan approach before CT-guided ablation.
    10022Fine needle aspiration; without imaging guidanceAlternative biopsy code; tissue diagnosis may be obtained prior to ablation (imaging-guided biopsy codes used when guidance applied).
    49405Image-guided, percutaneous ablation, hepatic tumor (any method)Ablation procedure codes that describe the therapeutic ablation of hepatic parenchymal tumors which 77013 specifically monitors via CT guidance.
    76942Ultrasonic guidance for needle placementAlternative imaging guidance code when ultrasound, not CT, is used to place ablation probes; contrasts with 77013 which is CT-specific.
    71260CT thorax with contrastDiagnostic CT of the chest used when thoracic lesions require localization and planning in procedures similar to those using 77013.

    Related Modifiers

    8 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…
    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…
    73Modifier 73 indicates a facility-level outpatient hospital or ASC procedure that was discontinued after the patient was prepared and taken to the procedure/operating room but before any anesthesia…- When to use: Apply CPT modifier 73 on the FACILITY (outpatient hospital or ASC) claim when the patient has been fully prepared and physically taken into the procedure/operating room but the…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
    80CPT® Modifier 80 (Assistant Surgeon) is appended to a surgical CPT code when a physician (MD or DO) provides full, continuous assistance throughout the operative procedure. It is intended only for…- Use CPT Modifier -80 when a physician (MD or DO) serves as an assistant surgeon and provides full, continuous assistance throughout the entire operative procedure; append -80 to the surgical CPT…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207K00000X
    363L00000X
    363A00000X
    207L00000X
    235500000X
    2080A0000X
    246QH0600X
    207YX0602X

    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-77011-CT-GUIDED-3D-LOCALIZATION-OF-SMALL-TARGETS

    CPT 77011: CT-Guided Three-Dimensional Localization

    CPT-77012-CT-GUIDED-NEEDLE-PLACEMENT-SUPERVISION-INTERPRETATION

    CPT 77012: CT-Guided Needle Placement, Imaging Supervision and Interpretation

    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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