Culture, Throat

Test Code

394

CPT Codes
87070

Includes

If culture is positive, identification will be performed at an additional charge (CPT code(s): 87077 or 87140 or 87143 or 87147 or 87149).
Antibiotic susceptibilities are only performed when appropriate (CPT code(s): 87181 or 87184 or 87185 or 87186).

Preferred Specimen

Collect throat specimen using a red cap Amies liquid transport swab, blue cap Amies gel transport swab, ESwab (white-cap) or equivalent

Minimum Volume

1 transport swab

Transport Container

Transport swab

Transport Temperature

Room temperature

Specimen Stability

Transport swab
Room temperature: 48 hours

Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)

Expired transport device • Frozen • Request for anaerobic culture • Refrigerated specimen • Dry swab • Viral transport media

Methodology
Bacterial culture, Aerobic routine isolation and Identification procedures; Antibiotic susceptibility testing (when appropriate)

Setup Schedule

Daily

Report Available

2 days

Limitations

Test does not differentiate between patient with acute infection or an asymptomatic carrier.

Clinical Significance

The significance of any isolate in pure or mixed culture must be assessed with respect to the source cultured, the organism's pathogenic potential, the possibility of colonization versus infection, and the number of other organisms recovered in the same culture. This test may be useful in the detection of agents of epiglottis and thrush and A. haemolyticum.

Performing Laboratory

Quest Diagnostics-Seattle

1737 Airport Way S Suite 200

Seattle, WA 98134-1636

Last Updated: November 6, 2024

The CPT Codes provided in this document are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payor being billed. Any Profile/panel component may be ordered separately. Reflex tests are performed at an additional charge.