CPT code 72142: Spine MRI, cervical, contrast only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs
Reports MRI examination of the cervical spine performed after contrast administration, commonly to assess enhancing abnormalities such as suspected infection, tumor, or postoperative change.
Medicare pays $273.89 for 72142 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $241.86–$371.41.
Medicare rate · 72142
Spine MRI, cervical, contrast only
- Work RVUs
- 1.74
- Total RVUs
- 8.20
- Global days
- XXX
National rate · 2026
$273.89
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 72142 →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.
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On this page 10 sections
What 72142 covers
This service is an MRI examination of the cervical spine using contrast, with images acquired after contrast administration. It may be used to evaluate enhancing abnormalities, including suspected infection, tumor, or postoperative change. MRI technologists perform the scan in a hospital or freestanding imaging center, and a radiologist interprets the images.
Report 72142 when the documented cervical spine protocol includes contrast imaging only. If the study includes both precontrast and postcontrast imaging, use the code for that combined protocol instead; a study performed without contrast is coded separately. The report should identify the cervical region and the contrast protocol performed. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, modifier TC identifies the technical service, and an unmodified claim represents the global service. When multiple diagnostic imaging services are performed, the CMS multiple procedure reduction applies to both the professional and technical components.
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 72142 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
$241.86 to $371.41
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $245.47 | Unavailable |
| Alaska | $314.57 | Unavailable |
| Arizona | $266.67 | Unavailable |
| Arkansas | $241.86 | Unavailable |
| Atlanta, GA | $278.38 | Unavailable |
| Austin, TX | $285.71 | Unavailable |
| Bakersfield, CA | $293.43 | Unavailable |
| Baltimore area, MD | $291.34 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont, TX | $254.56 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria, TX | $271.42 | Unavailable |
| Chicago, IL | $281.41 | Unavailable |
| Chico, CA | $292.97 | Unavailable |
| Colorado | $287.07 | Unavailable |
| Connecticut | $292.29 | Unavailable |
| Dallas, TX | $272.90 | Unavailable |
| Delaware | $271.17 | Unavailable |
| Detroit, MI | $269.71 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis, IL | $261.74 | Unavailable |
| El Centro, CA | $292.99 | Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | $280.41 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth, TX | $270.85 | Unavailable |
| Fresno, CA | $292.97 | Unavailable |
| Galveston, TX | $272.07 | Unavailable |
| Hanford, CA | $292.97 | Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam, HI | $300.84 | Unavailable |
| Houston, TX | $274.63 | Unavailable |
| Idaho | $254.54 | Unavailable |
| Indiana | $256.07 | Unavailable |
| Iowa | $253.12 | Unavailable |
| Kansas | $251.30 | Unavailable |
| Kentucky | $250.06 | Unavailable |
| King County, WA | $323.86 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles, CA | $313.33 | Unavailable |
| Madera, CA | $292.97 | Unavailable |
| Manhattan, NY | $314.54 | Unavailable |
| Marin County, CA | $363.43 | Unavailable |
| Merced, CA | $292.97 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston, MA | $316.71 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | $260.90 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia, PA | $284.49 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | $263.76 | Unavailable |
| Miami, FL | $289.69 | Unavailable |
| Minnesota | $276.72 | Unavailable |
| Mississippi | $243.32 | Unavailable |
| Modesto, CA | $292.97 | Unavailable |
| Montana | $273.88 | Unavailable |
| Napa, CA | $342.38 | Unavailable |
| Nebraska | $254.72 | Unavailable |
| Nevada | $273.32 | Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | $281.96 | Unavailable |
| New Mexico | $257.31 | Unavailable |
| New Orleans, LA | $262.07 | Unavailable |
| North Carolina | $258.06 | Unavailable |
| North Dakota | $271.11 | Unavailable |
| Northern New Jersey | $311.64 | Unavailable |
| NYC suburbs and Long Island, NY | $321.51 | Unavailable |
| Ohio | $255.56 | Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | $250.26 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard, CA | $312.17 | Unavailable |
| Portland, OR | $297.05 | Unavailable |
| Poughkeepsie and northern NYC suburbs, NY | $297.54 | Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | $276.14 | Unavailable |
| Queens, NY | $318.09 | Unavailable |
| Redding, CA | $292.97 | Unavailable |
| Rest of California | $292.97 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Florida | $266.95 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Georgia | $251.99 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Illinois | $258.15 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Louisiana | $249.42 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Maine | $255.23 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Maryland | $276.62 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Massachusetts | $285.06 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Michigan | $256.13 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Missouri | $244.63 | Unavailable |
| Rest of New Jersey | $296.09 | Unavailable |
| Rest of New York | $261.94 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Oregon | $271.65 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Pennsylvania | $256.32 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Texas | $262.67 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Washington | $284.71 | Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | $281.45 | Unavailable |
| Riverside, CA | $294.51 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento, CA | $308.22 | Unavailable |
| Salinas, CA | $307.08 | Unavailable |
| San Benito County, CA | $371.41 | Unavailable |
| San Diego, CA | $314.86 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco, CA | $363.27 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $302.05 | Unavailable |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $370.76 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $318.32 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria, CA | $308.39 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $321.59 | Unavailable |
| South Carolina | $257.14 | Unavailable |
| South Dakota | $270.78 | Unavailable |
| Southern Maine, ME | $270.26 | Unavailable |
| Stockton, CA | $292.97 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago, IL | $283.60 | Unavailable |
| Tennessee | $252.51 | Unavailable |
| Utah | $260.74 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo, CA | $342.15 | Unavailable |
| Vermont | $269.47 | Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands, VI | $276.14 | Unavailable |
| Virginia | $268.92 | Unavailable |
| Visalia, CA | $292.97 | Unavailable |
| Washington, DC area | $315.13 | Unavailable |
| West Virginia | $248.25 | Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | $261.79 | Unavailable |
| Wyoming | $272.67 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City, CA | $292.97 | Unavailable |
72142 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.
$241.86
$332.19
Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.
View every state and territory as a table
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $314.57 | 1 |
| AL | $245.47 | 1 |
| AR | $241.86 | 1 |
| AZ | $266.67 | 1 |
| CA | $292.97–$371.41 | 29 |
| CO | $287.07 | 1 |
| CT | $292.29 | 1 |
| DC | $315.13 | 1 |
| DE | $271.17 | 1 |
| FL | $266.95–$289.69 | 3 |
| GA | $251.99–$278.38 | 2 |
| GU | $300.84 | 1 |
| HI | $300.84 | 1 |
| IA | $253.12 | 1 |
| ID | $254.54 | 1 |
| IL | $258.15–$283.60 | 4 |
| IN | $256.07 | 1 |
| KS | $251.30 | 1 |
| KY | $250.06 | 1 |
| LA | $249.42–$262.07 | 2 |
| MA | $285.06–$316.71 | 2 |
| MD | $276.62–$315.13 | 3 |
| ME | $255.23–$270.26 | 2 |
| MI | $256.13–$269.71 | 2 |
| MN | $276.72 | 1 |
| MO | $244.63–$263.76 | 3 |
| MS | $243.32 | 1 |
| MT | $273.88 | 1 |
| NC | $258.06 | 1 |
| ND | $271.11 | 1 |
| NE | $254.72 | 1 |
| NH | $281.96 | 1 |
| NJ | $296.09–$311.64 | 2 |
| NM | $257.31 | 1 |
| NV | $273.32 | 1 |
| NY | $261.94–$321.51 | 5 |
| OH | $255.56 | 1 |
| OK | $250.26 | 1 |
| OR | $271.65–$297.05 | 2 |
| PA | $256.32–$284.49 | 2 |
| PR | $276.14 | 1 |
| RI | $281.45 | 1 |
| SC | $257.14 | 1 |
| SD | $270.78 | 1 |
| TN | $252.51 | 1 |
| TX | $254.56–$285.71 | 8 |
| UT | $260.74 | 1 |
| VA | $268.92–$315.13 | 2 |
| VI | $276.14 | 1 |
| VT | $269.47 | 1 |
| WA | $284.71–$323.86 | 2 |
| WI | $261.79 | 1 |
| WV | $248.25 | 1 |
| WY | $272.67 | 1 |
How the 72142 rate is calculated
Each of 72142’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 · 72142
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.74
1.74 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.32
6.32 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.14
0.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
8.2000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$273.89
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 72142
The CMS indicators that decide how 72142 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 72142
Spine MRI, cervical, contrast only
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 4 | Diagnostic imaging reduction applies to the technical component (and professional component) of additional services. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
72142 without 26 · national office
$273.89
Spine MRI, cervical, contrast only
72142-26 · Professional component
$82.83
Pays only the interpretation and report.
72142 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 72141Cervical MRIWithout contrast
- 72141 is for a cervical spine MRI without contrast; 72142 is for contrast-only imaging.
- 72156Spine MRICervical spine, without and with contrast
- 72156 describes a cervical MRI with both precontrast and postcontrast imaging. Choose 72142 when the protocol is contrast-only.
- 72126CT spineCervical, contrast only
- 72126 is a cervical spine CT with contrast, not an MRI. The modality documented as performed determines which code applies.
72142 billing questions
How does 72142 differ from 72141?
72142 represents a cervical MRI performed with contrast only. Use 72141 when the documented study is performed without contrast.
When should 72156 be used instead?
Use 72156 when the cervical MRI includes both precontrast and postcontrast imaging. Do not select 72142 merely because contrast was used if the study also includes precontrast imaging.
What do modifiers 26 and TC identify?
Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, while TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 72142?
The imaging report and order should support a cervical spine MRI and show that the performed protocol used contrast without precontrast imaging. The findings should correspond to the cervical region examined.
How does the multiple procedure reduction affect this service?
When multiple diagnostic imaging services are performed, CMS applies the multiple procedure reduction to both the professional and technical components of 72142.
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
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