How To Use CPT Code 88360

CPT 88360 is a code used for morphometric analysis of tumor immunohistochemistry, which involves manual staining and evaluation of a single antibody stain procedure per specimen. This article will cover the description, procedure, qualifying circumstances, appropriate usage, documentation requirements, billing guidelines, historical information, similar codes, and examples of CPT 88360.

1. What is CPT 88360?

CPT 88360 is a code used in the medical field for the morphometric analysis of tumor immunohistochemistry. This procedure involves the manual application of a single antibody stain on a slide or slides prepared from a single patient specimen, such as tumor tissue. A qualified provider, typically a pathologist, evaluates the stained slides and interprets the results to provide a pathologic diagnosis. This code is used for quantitative or semiquantitative immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis.

2. 88360 CPT code description

The official description of CPT code 88360 is: Morphometric analysis, tumor immunohistochemistry (eg, Her-2/neu, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor), quantitative or semiquantitative, per specimen, each single antibody stain procedure; manual.

3. Procedure

1. The lab analyst cuts and mounts the tissue onto slides.
2. Reagents are added to prepare slides to receive the stain.
3. A single antibody stain is applied by the lab analyst.
4. The pathologist evaluates the stained slides under a microscope.
5. Stained cells are manually counted or estimated by the pathologist.
6. Findings are reported as a quantitative or semiquantitative value.
7. The pathologist interprets the findings and provides a pathologic diagnosis.
8. A report is prepared for the ordering clinician.

4. Qualifying circumstances

Eligibility for CPT 88360 services is determined by the presence of abnormal cells in a patient’s specimen, such as tumor tissue. The procedure is commonly performed to aid in the diagnosis of cancer and other conditions involving abnormal cells. Providers must perform a quantitative or semiquantitative evaluation of the stained slides to qualify for this code. If the procedure does not include such an evaluation, codes in the range +88341 to 88344 should be used instead.

5. When to use CPT code 88360

CPT code 88360 should be used when a provider performs a manual morphometric analysis of tumor immunohistochemistry using a single antibody stain procedure per specimen. This code is appropriate for quantitative or semiquantitative IHC analysis. It should not be used for qualitative IHC or when computer-assisted technology is employed for the analysis.

6. Documentation requirements

To support a claim for CPT 88360, the following information must be documented:

• Specimen type and source
• Details of the single antibody stain procedure performed
• Quantitative or semiquantitative evaluation of stained cells
• Pathologic diagnosis provided by the pathologist
• Report prepared for the ordering clinician

7. Billing guidelines

When billing for CPT 88360, it is important to remember that this code represents the global service, which includes both the technical work performed by the lab analyst and the professional work performed by the pathologist. If billing only for the technical work, append modifier TC (Technical component) to the code. If billing only for the professional work, append modifier 26 (Professional component) to the code. Additionally, report this code once per specimen, regardless of the number of blocks or stained slides prepared.

8. Historical information

CPT 88360 was added to the Current Procedural Terminology system on January 1, 2005. The code was changed on January 1, 2015, with the previous descriptor being “Morphometric analysis, tumor immunohistochemistry (eg, Her-2/neu, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor), quantitative or semiquantitative, each antibody; manual.”

9. Similar codes to CPT 88360

Five similar codes to CPT 88360 include:

• CPT 88361: This code is used for the same procedure as CPT 88360 but with computer-assisted technology instead of manual evaluation.
• CPT 88341: This code is used for immunohistochemistry or immunocytochemistry, per specimen, each additional single antibody stain procedure.
• CPT 88342: This code is used for immunohistochemistry or immunocytochemistry, per specimen, initial single antibody stain procedure.
• CPT 88343: This code is used for immunofluorescence, per specimen, each additional single antibody stain procedure.
• CPT 88344: This code is used for immunofluorescence, per specimen, initial single antibody stain procedure.

10. Examples

Here are 10 detailed examples of CPT code 88360 procedures:

1. Evaluation of estrogen receptor expression in breast cancer tissue.
2. Analysis of progesterone receptor expression in endometrial cancer tissue.
3. Assessment of Her-2/neu expression in gastric cancer tissue.
4. Examination of CD20 expression in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma tissue.
5. Analysis of Ki-67 expression in glioblastoma tissue.
6. Evaluation of PD-L1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer tissue.
7. Assessment of CD3 expression in T-cell lymphoma tissue.
8. Examination of CD30 expression in anaplastic large cell lymphoma tissue.
9. Analysis of Bcl-2 expression in follicular lymphoma tissue.
10. Evaluation of CD10 expression in mantle cell lymphoma tissue.