CPT 88237: Cell Culture for Neoplastic Disorders

CPT code 88237 describes a laboratory procedure in which a lab analyst cultures cells from bone marrow or blood to grow neoplastic (tumor) cell populations for diagnostic or characterization purposes; the service is a cell culture for neoplastic disorders typically performed in a clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory setting and is classified as a laboratory diagnostic service.

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CPT 88237: Cell Culture for Neoplastic Disorders

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Get alerted when payer policies referencing 88237 are released or updated.

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Receive email alerts as soon as relevant payer policies are published or updated.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 62-year-old patient with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia is referred for diagnostic workup. Peripheral blood smear shows circulating blasts and a bone marrow aspiration is performed by a hematology/oncology specialist. A specimen of bone marrow and a concurrent peripheral blood sample are sent to the clinical laboratory. The laboratory analyst performs a cell culture procedure to grow hematopoietic or neoplastic cells from the bone marrow and/or blood sample to support cytogenetic analysis, flow cytometry panels, and molecular testing for clonal populations.

The clinical workflow: the clinic collects the specimen and submits it with the requisition indicating the suspected neoplastic disorder. The laboratory receives the specimen, documents accessioning, prepares culture media, inoculates specimens into appropriate culture systems, incubates under controlled conditions, monitors growth, and harvests cells at the specified time points for downstream testing (karyotype, FISH, molecular assays). Results are reported back to the ordering hematologist/oncologist to inform diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and treatment planning.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`88365`	Morphologic examination and interpretation of bone marrow aspirate and/or biopsy	Performed to assess marrow architecture and cellularity after culture and cytogenetic studies provide additional data.
`88237`	Culture of cells from bone marrow or blood for neoplastic disorders	Primary procedure describing the growth of cultured cells for cytogenetic and molecular analysis.
`88262`	Chromosome analysis, peripheral blood or bone marrow; culture and harvest	Often performed on the cells grown by this culture procedure to produce karyotypes for diagnosis.
`88271`	Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on cultured cells	Performed on harvested cultured cells to detect specific chromosomal abnormalities.
`81403`	Molecular pathology procedure, e.g., targeted gene panel sequencing	Performed on DNA/RNA extracted from cultured cells to identify mutations relevant to neoplastic processes.

Related Modifiers

5 rows

Modifier	Description	When to Use
26	Modifier 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…
59	Modifier 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…
76	Modifier -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…
91	Modifier 91 — “Repeat Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test” — is appended when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once for the same patient on the same day because serial,…	- Use modifier 91 when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once on the same patient on the same date because serial or repeated testing is medically necessary to monitor…
90	Modifier ‑90 (Reference/Outside Laboratory) indicates that a laboratory test was performed by an entity other than the treating or reporting provider. The American Medical Association defines…	- Use CPT modifier -90 when a laboratory test is performed by an outside/reference laboratory (an entity other than the treating or reporting physician or qualified professional) and the claim needs…

Related Provider Taxonomies

8 rows

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RC0000X	Cardiovascular Disease Physician	An internist who specializes in diseases of the heart and blood vessels and manages complex cardiac conditions such as heart attacks and life-threaten…
364S00000X	Clinical Nurse Specialist	A registered nurse who, through a graduate degree program in nursing, or through a formal post-basic education program or continuing education courses…
363L00000X	Nurse Practitioner	(1) A registered nurse provider with a graduate degree in nursing prepared for advanced practice involving independent and interdependent decision mak…
3336L0003X	Long Term Care Pharmacy	A pharmacy that dispenses medicinal preparations delivered to patients residing within an intermediate or skilled nursing facility, including intermed…
231H00000X	Audiologist	(1) A specialist in evaluation, habilitation and rehabilitation of those whose communication disorders center in whole or in part in hearing function.…
332800000X	Indian Health Service/Tribal/Urban Indian Health (I/T/U) Pharmacy	An Indian Health Service/Tribal/Urban Indian Health (I/T/U) Pharmacy means a pharmacy operated by the Indian Health Service, an Indian tribe or tribal…
231HA2500X	Assistive Technology Supplier Audiologist	Speech, Language and Hearing Service Providers · Audiologist
222Z00000X	Orthotist	A health care professional who is specifically educated and trained to manage comprehensive orthotic patient care, including musculoskeletal and neuro…

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

28 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
C85.80	Other specified types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified site
C91.00	Acute lymphoblastic leukemia not having achieved remission
C91.02	Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, in relapse
C91.10	Chronic lymphocytic leukemia of B-cell type not having achieved remission
C91.11	Chronic lymphocytic leukemia of B-cell type in remission
C92.00	Acute myeloblastic leukemia, not having achieved remission
C92.01	Acute myeloblastic leukemia, in remission
C92.10	Chronic myeloid leukemia, BCR/ABL-positive, not having achieved remission
C92.11	Chronic myeloid leukemia, BCR/ABL-positive, in remission
C93.10	Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia not having achieved remission

Showing 1–10 of 28

CPT 88230: Lymphocyte Culture for Nonneoplastic Disorder

CPT-88233-TISSUE-CULTURE-SKIN-SOLID-TISSUE-NONNEOPLASTIC

CPT 88233: Tissue Culture for Nonneoplastic Disorders

CPT-88235-AMNIOTIC-FLUID-CHORIONIC-VILLUS-TISSUE-CULTURE

CPT 88235: Tissue Culture Preparation from Amniotic Fluid or Chorionic Villi

CPT-88239-SOLID-TUMOR-CELL-CULTURE-NEOPLASTIC-DISORDER

CPT 88239: Cell Culture From Solid Tumor for Neoplastic Disorder

CPT-88240-CELL-LINE-CRYOPRESERVATION-STORAGE

CPT 88240: Cryopreservation and Storage of Cell Line

CPT-88241-THAW-AND-EXPAND-FROZEN-CELLS-SINGLE-ALIQUOT

CPT 88241: Thaw and Expand Previously Frozen Cells, Single Aliquot

CPT-88245-CHROMOSOME-ANALYSIS-SISTER-CHROMATID-EXCHANGE-SCE

CPT 88245: Chromosome Analysis for Sister Chromatid Exchange

CPT-88248-CHROMOSOME-ANALYSIS-BREAKAGE-SYNDROME

CPT 88248: Chromosome Analysis for Breakage Syndromes

CPT-88249-CHROMOSOME-ANALYSIS-BREAKAGE-SYNDROME-CLASTOGEN-STRESS

CPT 88249: Chromosome Analysis for Breakage Syndrome, 100-Cell Clastogen Test

CPT-88261-CHROMOSOME-ANALYSIS-KARYOTYPE-BANDING

CPT 88261: Chromosome Analysis, Karyotype with Banding

Showing 1–10 of 26

Frequently Asked Questions

References

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.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.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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Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

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Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`88365`	Morphologic examination and interpretation of bone marrow aspirate and/or biopsy	Performed to assess marrow architecture and cellularity after culture and cytogenetic studies provide additional data.
`88237`	Culture of cells from bone marrow or blood for neoplastic disorders	Primary procedure describing the growth of cultured cells for cytogenetic and molecular analysis.
`88262`	Chromosome analysis, peripheral blood or bone marrow; culture and harvest	Often performed on the cells grown by this culture procedure to produce karyotypes for diagnosis.
`88271`	Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on cultured cells	Performed on harvested cultured cells to detect specific chromosomal abnormalities.
`81403`	Molecular pathology procedure, e.g., targeted gene panel sequencing	Performed on DNA/RNA extracted from cultured cells to identify mutations relevant to neoplastic processes.

Related Modifiers

5 rows

Modifier	Description	When to Use
26	Modifier 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…
59	Modifier 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…
76	Modifier -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…
91	Modifier 91 — “Repeat Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test” — is appended when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once for the same patient on the same day because serial,…	- Use modifier 91 when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once on the same patient on the same date because serial or repeated testing is medically necessary to monitor…
90	Modifier ‑90 (Reference/Outside Laboratory) indicates that a laboratory test was performed by an entity other than the treating or reporting provider. The American Medical Association defines…	- Use CPT modifier -90 when a laboratory test is performed by an outside/reference laboratory (an entity other than the treating or reporting physician or qualified professional) and the claim needs…

Related Provider Taxonomies

8 rows

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RC0000X	Cardiovascular Disease Physician	An internist who specializes in diseases of the heart and blood vessels and manages complex cardiac conditions such as heart attacks and life-threaten…
364S00000X	Clinical Nurse Specialist	A registered nurse who, through a graduate degree program in nursing, or through a formal post-basic education program or continuing education courses…
363L00000X	Nurse Practitioner	(1) A registered nurse provider with a graduate degree in nursing prepared for advanced practice involving independent and interdependent decision mak…
3336L0003X	Long Term Care Pharmacy	A pharmacy that dispenses medicinal preparations delivered to patients residing within an intermediate or skilled nursing facility, including intermed…
231H00000X	Audiologist	(1) A specialist in evaluation, habilitation and rehabilitation of those whose communication disorders center in whole or in part in hearing function.…
332800000X	Indian Health Service/Tribal/Urban Indian Health (I/T/U) Pharmacy	An Indian Health Service/Tribal/Urban Indian Health (I/T/U) Pharmacy means a pharmacy operated by the Indian Health Service, an Indian tribe or tribal…
231HA2500X	Assistive Technology Supplier Audiologist	Speech, Language and Hearing Service Providers · Audiologist
222Z00000X	Orthotist	A health care professional who is specifically educated and trained to manage comprehensive orthotic patient care, including musculoskeletal and neuro…

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

28 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
C85.80	Other specified types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified site
C91.00	Acute lymphoblastic leukemia not having achieved remission
C91.02	Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, in relapse
C91.10	Chronic lymphocytic leukemia of B-cell type not having achieved remission
C91.11	Chronic lymphocytic leukemia of B-cell type in remission
C92.00	Acute myeloblastic leukemia, not having achieved remission
C92.01	Acute myeloblastic leukemia, in remission
C92.10	Chronic myeloid leukemia, BCR/ABL-positive, not having achieved remission
C92.11	Chronic myeloid leukemia, BCR/ABL-positive, in remission
C93.10	Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia not having achieved remission

Showing 1–10 of 28

CPT 88230: Lymphocyte Culture for Nonneoplastic Disorder

CPT-88233-TISSUE-CULTURE-SKIN-SOLID-TISSUE-NONNEOPLASTIC

CPT 88233: Tissue Culture for Nonneoplastic Disorders

CPT-88235-AMNIOTIC-FLUID-CHORIONIC-VILLUS-TISSUE-CULTURE

CPT 88235: Tissue Culture Preparation from Amniotic Fluid or Chorionic Villi

CPT-88239-SOLID-TUMOR-CELL-CULTURE-NEOPLASTIC-DISORDER

CPT 88239: Cell Culture From Solid Tumor for Neoplastic Disorder

CPT-88240-CELL-LINE-CRYOPRESERVATION-STORAGE

CPT 88240: Cryopreservation and Storage of Cell Line

CPT-88241-THAW-AND-EXPAND-FROZEN-CELLS-SINGLE-ALIQUOT

CPT 88241: Thaw and Expand Previously Frozen Cells, Single Aliquot

CPT-88245-CHROMOSOME-ANALYSIS-SISTER-CHROMATID-EXCHANGE-SCE

CPT 88245: Chromosome Analysis for Sister Chromatid Exchange

CPT-88248-CHROMOSOME-ANALYSIS-BREAKAGE-SYNDROME

CPT 88248: Chromosome Analysis for Breakage Syndromes

CPT-88249-CHROMOSOME-ANALYSIS-BREAKAGE-SYNDROME-CLASTOGEN-STRESS

CPT 88249: Chromosome Analysis for Breakage Syndrome, 100-Cell Clastogen Test

CPT-88261-CHROMOSOME-ANALYSIS-KARYOTYPE-BANDING

CPT 88261: Chromosome Analysis, Karyotype with Banding

Showing 1–10 of 26

Frequently Asked Questions

References

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.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.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.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

OpenPayer

CPT 88237: Cell Culture for Neoplastic Disorders

Sign up for cpt 88237 policy alerts

OpenPayer

CPT 88237: Cell Culture for Neoplastic Disorders

Sign up for cpt 88237 policy alerts

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

Related Codes

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

Related Codes

References

CPT 88237: Cell Culture for Neoplastic Disorders

Sign up for cpt 88237 policy alerts

CPT 88237: Cell Culture for Neoplastic Disorders

Sign up for cpt 88237 policy alerts

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

Related Codes

What clinical situations indicate use of CPT 88237?

Who typically performs the CPT 88237 procedure and where is it done?

What downstream tests commonly use the cells grown under CPT 88237?

Which diagnoses commonly justify performing cell culture under CPT 88237?

Which payers are noted as covering services like CPT 88237 on this page?

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

Related Codes

What clinical situations indicate use of CPT 88237?

Who typically performs the CPT 88237 procedure and where is it done?

What downstream tests commonly use the cells grown under CPT 88237?

Which diagnoses commonly justify performing cell culture under CPT 88237?

Which payers are noted as covering services like CPT 88237 on this page?

References