Summary & Overview
HCPCS C9728: Interstitial Device Placement for Radiation/Surgical Guidance
HCPCS Level II code C9728 represents the placement of interstitial devices used for radiation therapy or surgical guidance—such as fiducial markers or dosimeters—when performed at sites other than the abdomen, pelvis, prostate, retroperitoneum, or thorax. The code captures procedures where devices are implanted by any approach and may cover single or multiple sites. This service is relevant nationally for radiology, radiation oncology, surgical, and ambulatory care billing and care coordination.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of what the code denotes, typical service locations, and the clinical context in which interstitial guidance devices are used. The publication outlines coding benchmarks, payer coverage patterns where available, and operational considerations for billing and documentation. It also highlights common modifier uses and areas where payers often request additional documentation (Data not available in the input). The content equips revenue cycle, clinical, and compliance teams with the essential coding description and national-level context necessary to align clinical documentation and claims submission for services represented by C9728.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code C9728 describes the placement of interstitial device(s) for radiation therapy or surgery guidance (for example, fiducial markers or dosimeters) when performed for sites other than the abdomen, pelvis, prostate, retroperitoneum, or thorax. The procedure may involve placement at single or multiple anatomic sites and can be performed via any approach.
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Service type: Placement of interstitial guidance devices for radiation therapy or surgical guidance
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Typical site of service: Procedure locations other than the abdomen, pelvis, prostate, retroperitoneum, or thorax; may occur in outpatient surgical centers, hospital outpatient departments, or other operative settings where interstitial guidance device placement is performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 65-year-old with a solitary hepatic metastasis from colorectal cancer referred for image-guided radiation planning. The radiation oncology team schedules placement of percutaneous fiducial markers to enable stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Under conscious sedation in a procedure suite or interventional radiology suite, a radiologist or radiation oncologist uses CT or ultrasound guidance to place multiple small fiducial markers into and around the lesion via a percutaneous abdominal approach. Post-placement imaging confirms marker position. The markers are used during simulation, treatment planning, and daily image guidance to localize the target and account for organ motion. The service is documented with the operative note, number and location of devices placed, imaging modality used, conscious sedation or anesthesia type, and any immediate complications. Typical site of service: ambulatory surgery center, hospital outpatient department, interventional radiology suite, or radiation oncology procedural suite. Service type: placement of interstitial device(s) for radiation therapy/surgery guidance for sites other than abdomen, pelvis, prostate, retroperitoneum, or thorax (per code descriptor) — commonly used for soft-tissue, hepatic, pancreatic, or musculoskeletal lesions outside the excluded sites when this specific HCPCS descriptor is applied.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | When billing physician/radiation oncologist professional interpretation or service separate from technical facility component |