Summary & Overview
CPT 93598: Cardiac Output Measurement During Congenital Catheterization
CPT code 93598 identifies measurement of cardiac output performed during the same session as cardiac catheterization for congenital defects. This diagnostic physiologic procedure quantifies the volume of blood the heart pumps over time by injecting an indicator and measuring its concentration or temperature. The code is used in specialized invasive cardiology settings and supports clinical decision-making during congenital cardiac catheterization.
Key payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication provides a national perspective on the clinical context and billing application of CPT code 93598, covering typical sites of service and how the procedure fits within congenital cardiac catheterization workflows.
Readers will learn the clinical purpose of the procedure, where it is typically performed, and the kinds of benchmarks and policy considerations commonly associated with invasive cardiac diagnostic services. Data elements not provided in the input (for example, specific reimbursement benchmarks, associated taxonomies, or ICD-10 diagnosis pairings) are noted as unavailable. The summary focuses on clarifying the code’s clinical meaning and relevance for payers and providers in national practice.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 93598 describes measurement of cardiac output performed during the same session as cardiac catheterization for congenital defects. The procedure calculates the volume of blood pumped by the heart over time by injecting a substance and then measuring its concentration or temperature to derive cardiac output.
-
Service type: Diagnostic physiologic measurement performed during invasive cardiac catheterization for congenital heart defects
-
Typical site of service: Hospital cardiac catheterization laboratory or specialized invasive cardiology suite
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A pediatric patient with a known congenital heart defect (for example, ventricular septal defect with suspected shunting) is scheduled for diagnostic cardiac catheterization to evaluate intracardiac anatomy and hemodynamics. During the same anesthetized catheterization session, the interventional cardiology team performs a cardiac output and flow measurement by injecting an indicator (thermodilution or dye) and measuring its concentration or temperature over time to calculate stroke volume and cardiac output. The workflow includes pre-procedure consent and anesthesia evaluation, vascular access (typically femoral or jugular), placement of catheters into appropriate cardiac chambers, injection of the indicator, serial temperature or concentration measurements, calculation of cardiac output and shunt fraction, documentation of results in the catheterization report, and post-procedure monitoring in a recovery or pediatric cardiac observation unit. Typical site of service is an inpatient or outpatient hospital cardiac catheterization laboratory or an accredited pediatric cardiac catheterization suite. Typical team members include an interventional pediatric cardiologist, cardiology fellow or second operator as applicable, anesthesia provider, catheterization lab nurses and technologists, and radiology/support staff.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | When work required is substantially greater than typical for the procedure (e.g., complex anatomy prolonging measurement technique). |