BQ20YZZ
Computerized Tomography (CT Scan) Hip, Right to None with None, Other Contrast Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | B Imaging |
| Body System | Q Non-Axial Lower Bones |
| Operation | 2 Computerized Tomography (CT Scan) |
| Body Part | 0 Hip, Right |
| Approach | Y Other Contrast |
| Device | Z None |
| Qualifier | Z None |
Operation Definition
Computer reformatted digital display of multiplanar images developed from the capture of multiple exposures of external ionizing radiation
Procedure Overview
This family covers computed tomography of the non-axial lower bones, including the femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsal and metatarsal bones, and the hip, knee, ankle, and foot joints. The scanner rotates around the limb, taking many individual x-ray exposures from different angles, and a computer reconstructs them into detailed cross-sectional slices that can be viewed in multiple planes or rendered as a three-dimensional model. This level of detail makes it well suited to complex bone injuries and anatomy that plain film alone cannot fully characterize.
Providers order this study for comminuted or intra-articular fractures where surgical planning requires a precise map of fragment position, for suspected bone tumors or infections where the extent of involvement needs to be defined, and for evaluating complicated foot and ankle trauma where overlapping bones make plain films hard to interpret. It is also used post-operatively to confirm hardware placement or check for nonunion of a healing fracture. Because it involves a higher radiation dose than a plain film, it is generally reserved for cases where that added detail changes management.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Hip, Right
Computerized tomography of the right hip produces detailed cross-sectional images of the acetabulum and proximal femur, revealing bony detail such as subtle fracture lines, joint space narrowing, or the extent of avascular necrosis that plain radiographs may not fully depict. Because the hip is a deep, weight-bearing ball-and-socket joint surrounded by substantial soft tissue, CT is often chosen when complex fracture patterns need to be characterized preoperatively or when precise measurements of acetabular version or femoral offset are required for surgical planning. It is also useful for evaluating hip prostheses for loosening or periprosthetic fracture, where metal artifact reduction techniques may be applied. The right side should be specified, and the report should note whether contrast was used, since vascular or soft tissue assessment may accompany the bony evaluation.
Contrast: Other Contrast
Other Contrast captures imaging studies using a contrast medium that is neither high- nor low-osmolar iodinated agent, such as barium sulfate for gastrointestinal studies or gadolinium-based agents for certain applications outside standard MRI classification within this axis. It is used when the contrast administered does not fit the osmolarity-based iodinated categories, distinguishing it from those specific classes and from studies performed with no contrast.
Coding & Documentation
Assigning the code correctly depends on identifying the exact body part scanned from the radiology report, since hip, knee, ankle, and foot each have their own value, and orders written broadly as "leg CT" should be checked against what the radiologist actually documented. The report should indicate whether contrast material was administered, which affects the qualifier selected, and whether the study covered one limb or both. A common documentation gap is a report that discusses reconstructed three-dimensional images without clearly stating the primary body part scanned, which can lead to selecting the wrong region or missing a bilateral component.
Commonly Confused With
This family is often confused with MRI of the same lower bone region, since both can be ordered to evaluate complex fractures or tumors, but CT relies on multiple x-ray exposures reconstructed by computer while MRI uses a magnetic field and radiofrequency signals with no ionizing radiation. It is also distinguished from plain radiography and fluoroscopy of the lower bones, both of which use simpler forms of x-ray capture without the cross-sectional, computer-reconstructed detail that defines a CT study.