CPT code 37252: Intravascular ultrasound, first noncoronary vessel2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports intravascular ultrasound of the first noncoronary vessel examined during a qualifying vascular procedure, such as evaluation of peripheral or visceral vessel anatomy.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities67.9K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $895.48 for 37252 nationally in the office and $79.16 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $773.25–$1,260.57.

Medicare rate · 37252

Intravascular ultrasound, first noncoronary vessel

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
1.76
Total RVUs
26.81
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$895.48

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 37252 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 37252 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 37252 covers

A catheter-mounted ultrasound probe produces cross-sectional images from inside a noncoronary blood vessel. Vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, and other endovascular specialists use the images to assess vessel dimensions, plaque, stenosis, or the result of an intervention. The service may be performed in an angiography suite or another setting equipped for endovascular procedures, including during evaluation or treatment of peripheral and visceral vessels.

Report 37252 for the first noncoronary vessel examined by intravascular ultrasound; use 37253 for each additional vessel. The documentation should identify the vessel examined, describe the ultrasound findings, and support that imaging and interpretation were performed. This is an add-on code: report it only with a primary procedure, not as a stand-alone service. CMS treats its payment within the primary procedure’s global-period context.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 37252 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$773.25 to $1260.57

$773.25$1016.91$1260.57
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

37252 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$787.07$72.79
Alaska$972.90$103.53
Arizona$868.14$77.13
Arkansas$773.25$72.04
Atlanta, GA$911.33$81.95
Austin, TX$942.00$78.33
Bakersfield, CA$970.90$76.21
Baltimore area, MD$959.52$83.61
Beaumont, TX$820.41$77.56
Brazoria, TX$885.81$76.84

37252 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$773.25

$1,115.23

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
37252 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$972.901
AL$787.071
AR$773.251
AZ$868.141
CA$969.88–$1,260.5729
CO$946.231
CT$962.721
DC$1,046.781
DE$884.631
FL$865.42–$948.173
GA$808.82–$911.332
GU$1,003.211
HI$1,003.211
IA$817.961
ID$823.021
IL$830.72–$927.694
IN$828.951
KS$810.211
KY$802.931
LA$800.16–$848.522
MA$937.60–$1,056.452
MD$904.94–$1,046.783
ME$824.86–$883.502
MI$825.36–$875.102
MN$910.681
MO$781.40–$855.933
MS$777.671
MT$895.451
NC$835.791
ND$888.141
NE$824.321
NH$927.731
NJ$974.87–$1,031.922
NM$829.541
NV$894.241
NY$850.59–$1,065.635
OH$823.861
OK$804.521
OR$888.51–$984.762
PA$827.20–$932.722
PR$904.361
RI$922.461
SC$830.971
SD$887.271
TN$814.741
TX$820.41–$942.008
UT$844.761
VA$877.83–$1,046.782
VI$904.361
VT$881.131
WA$936.98–$1,083.282
WI$852.301
WV$792.821
WY$892.261

How the 37252 rate is calculated

Each of 37252’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

How the rate is built · 37252

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.76

1.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense24.68

24.68 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.37

0.37 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

26.8100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$895.48

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 37252

The CMS indicators that decide how 37252 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 37252

Intravascular ultrasound, first noncoronary vessel

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

37252 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 37252

    Intravascular ultrasound, first noncoronary vessel1.76 wRVU

    $895.48

  • 37253

    IVUS, each additional noncoronary vessel1.4 wRVU

    $169.68−$725.80

  • 92978

    Coronary imaging, initial vessel0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 37246

    Arterial angioplasty, initial artery6.83 wRVU

    $1,746.53+$851.05

How to choose

37253IVUSEach additional noncoronary vessel
37252 covers the first noncoronary vessel examined; 37253 covers each additional vessel.
92978Coronary imagingInitial vessel
Use 92978 for intravascular ultrasound of a coronary vessel. Code 37252 is for a noncoronary vessel.
37246Arterial angioplastyInitial artery
37246 reports arterial balloon angioplasty, a treatment service. Code 37252 reports intravascular ultrasound imaging of a noncoronary vessel.

37252 billing questions

Can 37252 be reported by itself?

No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with a qualifying primary procedure.

When is 37253 used instead?

Use 37252 for the first noncoronary vessel examined and 37253 for each additional vessel. The count is based on vessels, not the number of ultrasound images or pullbacks.

Does 37252 include interpretation?

The service includes intravascular imaging and interpretation. Document the vessel assessed and the findings used in the procedural evaluation.

Can 37252 be reported with angioplasty or stent placement?

It may be reported with a primary vascular procedure when intravascular ultrasound is performed and the code’s requirements are met. The add-on code cannot stand alone.

What documentation supports the code?

Record the noncoronary vessel examined, the use of intravascular ultrasound, and the findings. The record should make clear which vessel is the first vessel for code selection.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 37252PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,611 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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