CPT code 78014: Thyroid scan, quantitative uptake measurement2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports thyroid nuclear imaging that assesses tracer distribution and includes one or more quantitative uptake measurements during evaluation of thyroid function or structure.
Medicare pays $195.37–$217.86 for 78014 in the office in Illinois, from Rest of Illinois to Suburban Chicago, IL. 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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On this page 9 sections
What 78014 covers
This service combines nuclear imaging of the thyroid gland with quantitative measurement of tracer uptake. The imaging can include assessment of blood flow and shows how tracer is distributed in the gland; the uptake measurement adds a quantified assessment of thyroid activity. Nuclear medicine technologists typically perform the acquisition, and a radiologist or nuclear medicine physician interprets the study. It is used in diagnostic evaluation of thyroid disorders when the clinical workup calls for both gland imaging and quantitative uptake information.
Select this code when the documented study includes thyroid imaging and one or more quantitative uptake measurements. The report should support both the imaging findings and the uptake measurement; imaging without quantitative uptake is represented by a neighboring code, while uptake measurement alone is a separate service. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff service, and billing without either modifier represents the global service.
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 78014 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$195.37 to $217.86
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $214.86 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis, IL | $197.77 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Illinois | $195.37 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago, IL | $217.86 | Unavailable |
How the 78014 rate is calculated
Each of 78014’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 · 78014
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.49
0.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense5.75
5.75 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.07
0.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
6.3100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$210.76
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 78014
The CMS indicators that decide how 78014 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 78014
Thyroid scan, quantitative uptake measurement
| 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
78014 without 26 · national office
$210.76
Thyroid scan, quantitative uptake measurement
78014-26 · Professional component
$22.71
Pays only the interpretation and report.
78014 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 78013Thyroid imagingWith blood-flow imaging
- 78014 includes quantitative uptake measurement with the thyroid images. Choose 78013 when imaging is performed without quantitative uptake measurements.
- 78012Thyroid uptakeUptake measurement only
- 78012 reports quantitative thyroid uptake measurement without thyroid imaging. Use 78014 when the study includes both imaging and quantitative uptake.
- 78015Thyroid metastasis imagingLimited anatomic area
- 78015 is for imaging directed to thyroid carcinoma metastases; 78014 evaluates the thyroid gland and includes quantitative uptake measurement.
- 78018Thyroid metastasis scanWhole body with additional imaging
- 78018 addresses whole-body imaging for thyroid carcinoma metastases, rather than imaging the thyroid gland with quantitative uptake.
78014 billing questions
How does this differ from 78013?
This code includes one or more quantitative uptake measurements in addition to thyroid imaging. Use 78013 when thyroid imaging is performed without those quantitative measurements.
Can 78012 be reported for the uptake measurement too?
78014 includes quantitative uptake measurement with thyroid imaging. Do not separately report 78012 for the same uptake measurements.
Which modifiers identify the components?
Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 78014?
The record should show that thyroid imaging was performed and include the quantitative uptake measurement or measurements, along with the interpreted findings.
Is this the code for imaging thyroid cancer metastases?
No. This code concerns imaging the thyroid gland with quantitative uptake. Codes such as 78015 and 78018 address imaging for thyroid carcinoma metastases.
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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