“A colonoscopy is the examination of the entire colon, from the rectum to the cecum, and may include the examination of the terminal ileum or small intestine to an anastomosis.”[1]

CPT^® definitions

Proctosigmoidoscopy is the examination of the rectum and may include examination of a portion of the sigmoid colon.

Sigmoidoscopy is the examination of the entire rectum, sigmoid colon and may include examination of a portion of the descending colon.

Colonoscopy is the examination of the entire colon, from the rectum to the cecum, and may include examination of the terminal ileum or small intestine proximal to an anastomosis. [2]

In 2015, CPT^® revised some definitions related to colonoscopy and added a decision tree to help practices select the correct CPT^® code and the correct modifier for an incomplete colonoscopy. The revised definitions support the concept that the correct code is selected (in part) on the endpoint of the colonoscope.

The colonoscopy codes were last revised in 2015 and 2017. In 2015, the terms were revised and the colonoscopy decision tree was introduced, with the instructions for the use of modifiers for an incomplete colonoscopy. In 2017, moderate sedation was removed from the valuation of the codes and the symbol indicating that moderate sedation was included was removed.