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Home > Archive > Radiology > January 2005 > Oral/IV contrast "assess aorta" on radiology slip
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Oral/IV contrast "assess aorta" on radiology slip
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| williams12345@excite.com 2004-12-28, 7:14 pm |
| The abbreviated explanations on a radiology slip are
confusing. Let me give my interpretation.
For example:
74150 ABD W/O CONT
74160 ABD W CONT
The first, 74150, is for an abdominal CT without IV contrast.
The second, 74160, is for an abdominal CT with IV contrast.
Oral contrast will be used in both cases.
Have I got that right?
If the request is simply "assess aorta", does this include
abdominal aorta as well as ascending/descending aorta?
This is an added request for a CT of chest/abdomen/pelvis.
regards,
bill
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| williams12345@excite.com 2004-12-28, 7:14 pm |
| Thanks David.
Can you clarify the IV/Oral contrast question?
That is, when the radiology slip says "ABD W/O CONT",
that means without IV contrast, right?
They always give oral contrast, right?
regards,
bill
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| richard.epstein@alum.mit.edu 2004-12-30, 11:09 am |
| Abdomen w/o contrast - means no IV contrast
Abdomen w/ contrast - means yes IV contrast
The reason the oral contrast is not listed the same way
is probably due to billing. The charges (and insurance
and medicare reimbursement) are different for a study
without IV contrast, a study with IV contrast, and a
study without and with IV contrast.
Oral contrast does not change the charges, therefore
the insurance company does not care.
Precertifications (if necessary) are specific for whether or not IV
contrast is needed.
Some studies benefit from iv contrast, some not.
Also, some studies benefit from oral contrast, some not.
Protocols can also differ at different sites.
The determination of oral contrast is usually made by the
radiologist, although the referring doctor could specify
whether or not he/she wanted oral contrast. Usually they
are familiar with the protocols at the sites they tend to
direct patient to.
In terms of the aorta - if a chest/abdomen/pelvis is ordered,
the entire aorta will be seen. Whether the study is specifically
tailors to best evaluate the aorta, depends on the script
and the clinical question asked. It will also effect
whether or not 3 dimensional reconstructions of the aorta
are performed.
-Rich
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| Robert Solomon 2005-01-01, 7:10 pm |
| I might be a day late and a dollar short, but the aorta should be
studied w/ IV contrast. Oral contrast does not add anything to the
study. The optimal CT for the aorta is w/o and w/ IV contrast.
> Thank you. The radiology slip was wrong.
> The doctors office selected ABD W/ CONT, it should have been
> ABD W/O CONT with an explanation of "oral contrast only".
> You saved us from a long, difficult explanation to the radiologist.
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| Robert Solomon 2005-01-08, 11:10 am |
| I might be a day late and a dollar short, but the aorta should be
studied w/ IV contrast. Oral contrast does not add anything to the
study. The optimal CT for the aorta is w/o and w/ IV contrast.
> Thank you. The radiology slip was wrong.
> The doctors office selected ABD W/ CONT, it should have been
> ABD W/O CONT with an explanation of "oral contrast only".
> You saved us from a long, difficult explanation to the radiologist.
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