B52HZZZ
Computerized Tomography (CT Scan) Pelvic (Iliac) Veins, Bilateral to None with None, None Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | B Imaging |
| Body System | 5 Veins |
| Operation | 2 Computerized Tomography (CT Scan) |
| Body Part | H Pelvic (Iliac) Veins, Bilateral |
| Approach | Z None |
| 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 imaging of the venous system, in which a scanner rotates around the patient capturing many individual X-ray exposures that a computer reconstructs into detailed cross-sectional and three-dimensional images. Known clinically as CT venography, it is typically performed after an intravenous injection of iodinated contrast timed to opacify the veins of interest, whether in the legs, pelvis, abdomen, chest, or neck.
Physicians order it to detect deep vein thrombosis, particularly in body regions that are hard to evaluate with ultrasound such as the pelvic or abdominal veins, to investigate suspected venous compression syndromes, or to map venous anatomy before surgery or a device placement. Its ability to produce fast, high-resolution images across a large body region makes it especially useful in urgent evaluations and in patients whose body habitus limits ultrasound quality.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Pelvic (Iliac) Veins, Bilateral
Bilateral pelvic, or iliac, vein imaging captures both the right and left common, external, and internal iliac venous systems in a single study, used when clinical suspicion of thrombosis or compression is not confined to one side, such as in patients with bilateral leg swelling or suspected inferior vena cava thrombus propagating into both iliac systems. This combined view is also useful for surgical planning before iliocaval stenting or filter placement, allowing direct comparison of caliber and flow between sides. Because the two sets of veins are coded together as a bilateral body part rather than reported separately, the study is typically performed as a single contrast-enhanced acquisition through the pelvis timed to the venous phase, capturing both venous trees from the caval confluence down to the inguinal region.
Coding & Documentation
Accurate coding depends on the report clearly naming the venous structure or region examined, since the body part value is vessel-specific and studies covering multiple regions, such as combined pelvic and lower extremity venography, may require more than one code. Coders must confirm from the documentation whether contrast was administered and select the qualifier accordingly, and should watch for reports that describe a combined CT arteriogram and venogram performed in one session, which requires separate codes for the arterial and venous components rather than a single entry. Another pitfall is coding a CT scan that only incidentally shows a vein, rather than one performed specifically to evaluate venous anatomy, as a dedicated venography study.