CPT code 76965: Ultrasound guidance, interstitial radiation application2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $96.53 for 76965 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $88.40–$122.85.

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

What 76965 covers

This service covers ultrasound used to guide placement of radioactive sources into tissue for interstitial radiation treatment. A common setting is prostate brachytherapy, where a urologist or radiation oncologist uses ultrasound during seed implantation to visualize the target and guide source placement. The service is guidance for treatment, not a diagnostic ultrasound examination of the prostate.

Report 76965 when the ultrasound is used for interstitial radioelement application, rather than for a different ultrasound-guided procedure. Documentation should identify the treatment guidance performed and include the imaging and interpretation supporting it. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 reports the interpretation, modifier TC reports the equipment and staff, and an unmodified claim represents the global service. The code may be reported in connection with the source-placement procedure, such as prostate implantation, when the guidance service is performed.

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 76965 pays more and less

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

109 of 109 payment localities

76965 rates by state

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

How the 76965 rate is calculated

Each of 76965’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 76965

The CMS indicators that decide how 76965 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

76965 compared with similar codes

How to choose

76942Ultrasound needle guidanceBiopsy, aspiration, injection, or localization

Choose 76965 for ultrasound guidance during interstitial radioactive source application. Code 76942 describes ultrasound guidance for needle placement in other procedures, such as biopsy.

76998Intraoperative ultrasoundSurgical guidance

Code 76998 covers intraoperative ultrasound guidance more generally. Code 76965 is the specific choice when ultrasound guides interstitial radioelement application.

55875Prostate brachytherapyNeedle or catheter placement

Code 55875 reports transperineal needle or catheter placement for prostate interstitial source implantation; 76965 reports the ultrasound guidance used for that treatment.

Codes related to 76965

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates