AAPC CPC Chapter 17 Exam
Questions with Verified Answers & Rationales
1. A non-Medicare patient reports for a bilateral screening mammography with CAD. What
CPT® code(s) is/are reported?
ANS: 77067
Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for Mammography/Screening Mammography and you are guided to
77067.
2. A 40-year-old female is scheduled for a routine screening baseline bilateral mammogram
with computer-aided detection (CAD). What are the CPT® and ICD-10-CM codes reported?
ANS: 77067, Z12.31
Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for Mammography/Screening Mammography or Mammography/
with Computer-Aided Detection (CAD). Code 77067 is for the screening mammography with
computer aided detection. Look in the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index for Screening/neoplasm
(malignant) (of)/breast/routine mammogram and you are guided to Z12.31.
3. What ICD-10-CM code is reported for a routine chest X-ray?
ANS: Z00.00
Rationale: Look in the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index for Encounter/X-ray of chest (as part of general
medical examination) Z00.00. There is no mention of abnormal findings making Z00.00 the correct code
choice. Verify code selection in the Tabular List.
4. A patient arrives at the urgent care facility with a swollen ankle. Anteroposterior and
lateral view X-rays of the ankle are taken to determine whether the patient has a fractured
ankle. What CPT® code(s) is/are reported?
ANS: 73600
Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for X-ray/Ankle and you are guided to range 73600-73610. There
were two views taken (anteroposterior and lateral views), so CPT® code 73600 is correct.
5. AP and Lateral chest X-rays were performed for a cough. What CPT® and ICD-10-CM
codes are reported?
, ANS: 71046, R05
Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for X-ray/Chest and you are guided to code range
71045-71048. In looking at the descriptions, this is a 2-view chest X-ray. In the AP (Anteroposterior)
position the X-ray beam enters the front of the body and exits through the back. In the lateral position,
the X-ray beam enters through the side of the body. This is reported with 71046. Look in the ICD-10-
CM Alphabetic Index for cough and you are directed to R05.
6. A 56-year-old patient who has been admitted requires a tunneled CV catheter insertion.
The physician uses ultrasound guidance to perform the insertion. The physician documented
vessel patency and that permanent recordings are in the patient's record. What CPT® codes
are reported for the physician's services?
ANS: 36558, 76937-26
Rationale: The physician inserts a tunneled CV catheter (central venous). The patient is 56 years-old
and there is no indication that a port or pump is involved. In the CPT® Index look for Central Venous
Catheter Placement/Insertion/Central/Tunneled without Port or Pump 36557-36558, 36565. The correct
code is 36558. The physician uses ultrasound guidance, which is reported with 76937. In the coding
guidelines for Central Venous Access Procedures, it states that imaging can be reported separately. The
codes you are referred to are 76937 and 77001. Because the imaging used is ultrasound, report with
76937. Note that 76937 is an add-on code and it can only be reported if the physician documents
selected vessel patency and permanent ultrasound recordings are in the patient records. Modifier 26 is
appended to report the professional component.
7. A 66-year-old male with a history of anemia presents for a liver core biopsy to evaluate
for possible cirrhosis. The patient was brought to the CAT scan suite in which limited CT
images of the upper abdomen were performed for biopsy needle placement. The appropriate
site for the liver core biopsy was chosen. The patient's skin was then marked with the
computer coordinates. An 18-gauge needle was advanced into the appropriate site and a
sample was
obtained. What CPT® codes are reported?
ANS: 47000, 77012-26
Rationale: Biopsy of the liver is taken by a needle (percutaneous) under computed tomography
guidance (CT). In the CPT® Index look for Biopsy/Liver 47000, 47001, 47100, 47700. Code 47000
describes a percutaneous needle biopsy of the liver. Below CPT code 47000 you are given codes for
Questions with Verified Answers & Rationales
1. A non-Medicare patient reports for a bilateral screening mammography with CAD. What
CPT® code(s) is/are reported?
ANS: 77067
Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for Mammography/Screening Mammography and you are guided to
77067.
2. A 40-year-old female is scheduled for a routine screening baseline bilateral mammogram
with computer-aided detection (CAD). What are the CPT® and ICD-10-CM codes reported?
ANS: 77067, Z12.31
Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for Mammography/Screening Mammography or Mammography/
with Computer-Aided Detection (CAD). Code 77067 is for the screening mammography with
computer aided detection. Look in the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index for Screening/neoplasm
(malignant) (of)/breast/routine mammogram and you are guided to Z12.31.
3. What ICD-10-CM code is reported for a routine chest X-ray?
ANS: Z00.00
Rationale: Look in the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index for Encounter/X-ray of chest (as part of general
medical examination) Z00.00. There is no mention of abnormal findings making Z00.00 the correct code
choice. Verify code selection in the Tabular List.
4. A patient arrives at the urgent care facility with a swollen ankle. Anteroposterior and
lateral view X-rays of the ankle are taken to determine whether the patient has a fractured
ankle. What CPT® code(s) is/are reported?
ANS: 73600
Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for X-ray/Ankle and you are guided to range 73600-73610. There
were two views taken (anteroposterior and lateral views), so CPT® code 73600 is correct.
5. AP and Lateral chest X-rays were performed for a cough. What CPT® and ICD-10-CM
codes are reported?
, ANS: 71046, R05
Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for X-ray/Chest and you are guided to code range
71045-71048. In looking at the descriptions, this is a 2-view chest X-ray. In the AP (Anteroposterior)
position the X-ray beam enters the front of the body and exits through the back. In the lateral position,
the X-ray beam enters through the side of the body. This is reported with 71046. Look in the ICD-10-
CM Alphabetic Index for cough and you are directed to R05.
6. A 56-year-old patient who has been admitted requires a tunneled CV catheter insertion.
The physician uses ultrasound guidance to perform the insertion. The physician documented
vessel patency and that permanent recordings are in the patient's record. What CPT® codes
are reported for the physician's services?
ANS: 36558, 76937-26
Rationale: The physician inserts a tunneled CV catheter (central venous). The patient is 56 years-old
and there is no indication that a port or pump is involved. In the CPT® Index look for Central Venous
Catheter Placement/Insertion/Central/Tunneled without Port or Pump 36557-36558, 36565. The correct
code is 36558. The physician uses ultrasound guidance, which is reported with 76937. In the coding
guidelines for Central Venous Access Procedures, it states that imaging can be reported separately. The
codes you are referred to are 76937 and 77001. Because the imaging used is ultrasound, report with
76937. Note that 76937 is an add-on code and it can only be reported if the physician documents
selected vessel patency and permanent ultrasound recordings are in the patient records. Modifier 26 is
appended to report the professional component.
7. A 66-year-old male with a history of anemia presents for a liver core biopsy to evaluate
for possible cirrhosis. The patient was brought to the CAT scan suite in which limited CT
images of the upper abdomen were performed for biopsy needle placement. The appropriate
site for the liver core biopsy was chosen. The patient's skin was then marked with the
computer coordinates. An 18-gauge needle was advanced into the appropriate site and a
sample was
obtained. What CPT® codes are reported?
ANS: 47000, 77012-26
Rationale: Biopsy of the liver is taken by a needle (percutaneous) under computed tomography
guidance (CT). In the CPT® Index look for Biopsy/Liver 47000, 47001, 47100, 47700. Code 47000
describes a percutaneous needle biopsy of the liver. Below CPT code 47000 you are given codes for
