ICD-10-PCS Code For Head And Neck: Procedure Code Group Overview

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) code group CW1B includes procedures performed to capture radioactive emissions and produce single plane diagnostic images of the head and neck. These ICD-10-PCS codes are used for inpatient documentation when planar nuclear medicine imaging with introduction of radioactive materials into the head and neck region is performed for diagnostic evaluation. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-PCS CW1B group is essential for proper inpatient reimbursement, as it captures the specific nuclear medicine imaging performed and determines appropriate case mix and payment.

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Head And Neck Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging Procedure Overview

This group includes planar nuclear medicine imaging procedures that capture radioactive emissions from the head and neck for diagnostic single plane image display. These procedures target the anatomical regions of the head and neck within the Nuclear Medicine section of ICD-10-PCS and involve introduction of radioactive materials and planar image acquisition. Accurate coding ensures inpatient records reflect the specific nuclear medicine imaging performed and supports appropriate reimbursement and case mix assignment.

Code Attributes

Character	ICD-10-PCS Category	Code Group Details
C	Section	Nuclear Medicine
W	Body System	Anatomical Regions
1	Operation	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging
B	Body Part	Head and Neck

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ICD-10-PCS Code For Head And Neck: Procedure Code Group Overview

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Head And Neck Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

Character	ICD-10-PCS Category	Code Group Details
C	Section	Nuclear Medicine
W	Body System	Anatomical Regions
1	Operation	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging
B	Body Part	Head and Neck

When to Use

Use a code from this group when a patient undergoes planar nuclear medicine imaging of the head and neck with introduction of radioactive tracers for diagnostic single plane image capture. These codes apply when the procedure is performed inpatient and documentation supports introduction of radioactive materials and planar image acquisition.

ICD-10-PCS Codes

7 rows

ICD-10-PCS Code	Description
CW1B1ZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Technetium 99m (Tc-99m)
CW1BDZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Indium 111 (In-111)
CW1BFZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Iodine 123 (I-123)
CW1BGZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Iodine 131 (I-131)
CW1BLZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Gallium 67 (Ga-67)
CW1BSZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Thallium 201 (Tl-201)
CW1BYZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Other Radionuclide

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An adult patient presents to the inpatient service with acute onset of focal neurologic deficits and a history of known metastatic thyroid cancer. Clinicians order planar nuclear medicine imaging of the head and neck with Iodine 131 to evaluate for metastatic thyroid tissue uptake in the cervical region and skull base prior to further oncologic management. The study involves introduction of I-131 and single plane image acquisition of the head and neck emission distribution. Typical codes: CW1BGZZ
A hospitalized outpatient admitted for planned endocrine workup after thyroidectomy undergoes diagnostic planar imaging to assess residual thyroid tissue and regional lymph node activity. Iodine 123 is administered and single plane head and neck images are captured to guide decisions about radioiodine ablation therapy and further surgical planning. Typical codes: CW1BFZZ
An inpatient with recurrent epistaxis and a history of paraganglioma undergoes functional localization because prior imaging was inconclusive; Indium 111-labeled tracer is introduced and planar single plane imaging of the head and neck is performed to localize radionuclide-avid tumor tissue for potential targeted therapy planning. This study is done after prior imaging failed to identify a clear lesion. Typical codes: CW1BDZZ

Related Codes

CW10-ABDOMEN-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Abdomen: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW11-ABDOMEN-AND-PELVIS-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code for Abdomen And Pelvis: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW13-CHEST-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Chest: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW14-CHEST-AND-ABDOMEN-PLANAR

ICD-10-PCS Code For Chest And Abdomen: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW16-CHEST-AND-NECK-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Chest And Neck: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW1D-LOWER-EXTREMITY-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Lower Extremity: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW1J-PELVIC-REGION-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Pelvic Region: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW1M-UPPER-EXTREMITY-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Upper Extremity: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW1N-WHOLE-BODY-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Whole Body: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW1Y-ANATOMICAL-REGIONS-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Anatomical Regions: Procedure Code Group Overview

Showing 1–10 of 11

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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When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

7 rows

ICD-10-PCS Code	Description
CW1B1ZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Technetium 99m (Tc-99m)
CW1BDZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Indium 111 (In-111)
CW1BFZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Iodine 123 (I-123)
CW1BGZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Iodine 131 (I-131)
CW1BLZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Gallium 67 (Ga-67)
CW1BSZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Thallium 201 (Tl-201)
CW1BYZZ	Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Head and Neck using Other Radionuclide

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An adult patient presents to the inpatient service with acute onset of focal neurologic deficits and a history of known metastatic thyroid cancer. Clinicians order planar nuclear medicine imaging of the head and neck with Iodine 131 to evaluate for metastatic thyroid tissue uptake in the cervical region and skull base prior to further oncologic management. The study involves introduction of I-131 and single plane image acquisition of the head and neck emission distribution. Typical codes: CW1BGZZ
A hospitalized outpatient admitted for planned endocrine workup after thyroidectomy undergoes diagnostic planar imaging to assess residual thyroid tissue and regional lymph node activity. Iodine 123 is administered and single plane head and neck images are captured to guide decisions about radioiodine ablation therapy and further surgical planning. Typical codes: CW1BFZZ
An inpatient with recurrent epistaxis and a history of paraganglioma undergoes functional localization because prior imaging was inconclusive; Indium 111-labeled tracer is introduced and planar single plane imaging of the head and neck is performed to localize radionuclide-avid tumor tissue for potential targeted therapy planning. This study is done after prior imaging failed to identify a clear lesion. Typical codes: CW1BDZZ

Related Codes

CW10-ABDOMEN-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Abdomen: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW11-ABDOMEN-AND-PELVIS-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code for Abdomen And Pelvis: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW13-CHEST-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Chest: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW14-CHEST-AND-ABDOMEN-PLANAR

ICD-10-PCS Code For Chest And Abdomen: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW16-CHEST-AND-NECK-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Chest And Neck: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW1D-LOWER-EXTREMITY-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Lower Extremity: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW1J-PELVIC-REGION-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Pelvic Region: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW1M-UPPER-EXTREMITY-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Upper Extremity: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW1N-WHOLE-BODY-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Whole Body: Procedure Code Group Overview

CW1Y-ANATOMICAL-REGIONS-PLANAR-IMAGING

ICD-10-PCS Code For Anatomical Regions: Procedure Code Group Overview

Showing 1–10 of 11

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.

ICD-10-PCS Code For Head And Neck: Procedure Code Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-PCS Code For Head And Neck: Procedure Code Group Overview policy alerts

Head And Neck Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

ICD-10-PCS Code For Head And Neck: Procedure Code Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-PCS Code For Head And Neck: Procedure Code Group Overview policy alerts

Head And Neck Planar Nuclear Medicine Imaging Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which procedures are included in the ICD-10-PCS code group CW1B for head and neck?

What is the operation and body system described for CW1B codes?

How does accurate coding of CW1B procedures affect inpatient records and reimbursement?

What radionuclides are represented by the individual codes in the CW1B group?

When should clinicians or coders use a CW1B code in documentation?

References

When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which procedures are included in the ICD-10-PCS code group CW1B for head and neck?

What is the operation and body system described for CW1B codes?

How does accurate coding of CW1B procedures affect inpatient records and reimbursement?

What radionuclides are represented by the individual codes in the CW1B group?

When should clinicians or coders use a CW1B code in documentation?

References