2012 Laboratory CPT Code Update

New Laboratory Codes

86386: Nuclear Matrix Protein 22 (NMP22), qualitative
87389: Infectious agent antigen detection by enzyme immunoassay technique, qualitative or semiquantitative, multiple-step method; HIV-1 antigen(s), with HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies, single result

Revised Codes

88312: Special stain including interpretation and report; Group I for microorganisms (e.g., acid fast, methenamine silver)
88313: Special stain including interpretation and report; Group II, all other (e.g., iron, trichrome), except stain for microorganisms, stains for enzyme constituents or immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry
88314: Special stain including interpretation and report; histochemical stain on frozen tissue block (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
88319: Special stain including interpretation and report; Group III, for enzyme constituents
86703: HIV-1 and HIV-2, single result

Deleted Codes

88318: Determinative histochemistry to identify chemical components (e.g., copper, zinc)
88107: Cytopathology, fluids, washings or brushing, except cervical or vaginal; smears and simple filter preparation with interpretation. (To report smears and simple filter preparation, see 88104, 88106)

New Molecular Pathology Codes

Over 100 new molecular pathology codes are included in the 2012 CPT.

• Seventy-eight of the new codes (81200 through 81355) describe frequently performed gene assays such as BRCA1 & BRCA2 (breast and ovarian cancer), CFTR (cystic fibrosis) and MECP2 (Rett syndrome).
• An additional 14 codes (81370 through 81383) describe molecular HLA typing using low and high resolution techniques.
• The remaining new codes, (so called Tier 2 codes 81400-81408) describe nine levels of complexity to which a total of 97 additional molecular pathology procedures have been assigned.

Source: AMA