CPT Code 86901 | Description & Clinical Information

CPT 86901 describes the process of analyzing the serum plasma specimen to identify the blood type of a patient within the Rh blood group system.

Official Description

The CPT book defines CPT code 86901 as: “Blood typing, serologic; Rh (D)”.

Clinical Information

The procedure described by CPT code 86901 involves the determination of a patient’s blood type within the Rh blood group system. This process is carried out by a laboratory analyst who performs technical steps such as mixing the patient’s red blood cells, or RBCs, with known antibodies to a specific Rh antigen, particularly RhD. The analyst then observes the mixture for an agglutination, or clumping, reaction, with any reaction indicating the presence of the corresponding antigen on the surface of the patient’s RBCs.

The Rh blood type system is centered around the idea that human blood typically contains specific types of surface antigens in the Rh group. The RhD antigen has clinical significance, particularly in pregnancy and blood transfusions. If RhD antigen is present on a patient’s RBCs, they are said to have Rh positive blood. Meanwhile, if the patient’s RBCs lack the RhD surface antigen, they are said to have Rh negative blood.

Clinicians may order this test as a screening for pregnant women to determine the need for maternal immunization with antiRhD. This immunization is intended to prevent the mother from forming antibodies to fetal RBCs. When the fetus is Rh positive, but the mother is Rh negative, the mother may produce antibodies to fetal blood cells that have entered their bloodstream. These antibodies can then cross the placenta and cause conditions such as fetal hydrops, fetal death, or hemolytic disease of the newborn. Hemolytic disease of the newborn is characterized by anemia and jaundice in the baby.

This test helps doctors in predicting the risk of Rh incompatibility between the mother and the fetus. It is important to detect this incompatibility as it may cause serious complications in newborns. The procedure is straightforward but requires the expertise of laboratory analysts to carry out the technical steps accurately. The results of this test are essential for doctors to establish the course of maternal immunization with antiRhD to prevent complications in the mother and her baby.

In conclusion, the CPT code 86901 procedure is essential in the determination of a patient’s blood type within the Rh blood group system. It plays a crucial role in predicting the risk of Rh incompatibility between the mother and the fetus. It is important for clinicians to order this test as a screening for pregnant women and other patients who may require blood transfusions to determine the compatibility of the patient’s blood with that of a potential donor. The procedure, though simple, requires the expertise of laboratory analysts to carry out accurately. Ultimately, the results obtained from this test are vital in guiding medical professionals in making informed decisions that ensure the best possible patient care.

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