CPT code 76506: Cranial ultrasound, real-time brain imaging2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Louisiana
Reports real-time ultrasound imaging of the brain, commonly through an infant's open fontanelle to assess ventricles and detect intracranial abnormalities.
Medicare pays $98.83–$103.99 for 76506 in the office in Louisiana, from Rest of Louisiana to New Orleans, LA. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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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What 76506 covers
This examination uses real-time ultrasound to image intracranial structures, typically through an infant’s open fontanelle. It can help assess ventricular size and evaluate for findings such as hydrocephalus or intracranial hemorrhage. A sonographer may acquire the images, with a physician—often a radiologist—providing the interpretation. The service is commonly performed in hospital settings for newborns and young infants when cranial imaging is clinically indicated.
Report 76506 for the cranial ultrasound examination with image documentation, rather than an ultrasound of the head’s soft tissues or the eyes. The record should support the clinical reason for imaging and include the saved images and interpretation. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the interpretation, modifier TC for the equipment and staff, or neither modifier for the global service. The code’s listed components are separately priced by CMS.
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 76506 pays more and less in Louisiana
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | $103.99 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Louisiana | $98.83 | Unavailable |
How the 76506 rate is calculated
Each of 76506’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 · 76506
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.61
0.61 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.60
2.60 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.05
0.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
3.2600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$108.89
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 76506
The CMS indicators that decide how 76506 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 76506
Cranial ultrasound, real-time brain imaging
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| 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
76506 without 26 · national office
$108.89
Cranial ultrasound, real-time brain imaging
76506-26 · Professional component
$29.39
Pays only the interpretation and report.
76506 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
76506 vs 76536 vs 76516: Medicare rates
How to choose
- 76536Head and neck ultrasoundThyroid, parathyroid, salivary soft tissues
- 76536 is an ultrasound examination of head and neck soft tissues. Use 76506 for real-time imaging of intracranial structures.
- 76516Eye biometryUltrasound A-scan
- 76516 describes an ultrasound examination of the eye. It is not the code for imaging the brain through an infant’s fontanelle.
76506 billing questions
When should 76506 be used instead of 76536?
Use 76506 for real-time imaging of intracranial structures, commonly through an infant’s fontanelle. Code 76536 describes an ultrasound examination of head and neck soft tissues, not a cranial brain study.
What do modifiers 26 and TC represent?
Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, while TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff. Report the global service without either modifier when billing both components together.
What documentation supports 76506?
Document the clinical reason for the cranial study, the examination performed, image documentation, and the interpretation. The record should make clear that the ultrasound evaluated intracranial structures.
Does 76506 describe an eye ultrasound?
No. It describes cranial imaging; eye echography codes such as 76516 address ocular structures.
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
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