FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

CPT code 78020: Thyroid uptake, whole-body metastasis measurement2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports quantitative whole-body radioactive iodine uptake measurement for thyroid carcinoma, as an add-on to the related whole-body metastasis imaging service.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities648 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $79.16 for 78020 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $70.32–$106.40.

Medicare rate · 78020

Thyroid uptake, whole-body metastasis measurement

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
0.59
Total RVUs
2.37
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$79.16

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 78020 →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 78020 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 78020 covers

This add-on captures a quantitative whole-body uptake measurement after radioactive iodine administration in a patient being evaluated for thyroid carcinoma metastases. It commonly accompanies nuclear medicine imaging in follow-up of differentiated thyroid cancer, including assessment for iodine-avid residual or metastatic disease. Nuclear medicine technologists perform the acquisition and measurement, with a nuclear medicine physician interpreting the findings.

Report 78020 only with the primary whole-body thyroid carcinoma metastasis imaging service, 78018. The record should support the clinical indication, radioactive tracer administration, measured uptake, and physician interpretation. CMS treats this as an add-on paid within the primary procedure’s global period. The global service may be billed without a component modifier; modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, while modifier TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff.

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 78020 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

$70.32 to $106.40

$70.32$88.36$106.40
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

78020 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$71.32Unavailable
Alaska$92.19Unavailable
Arizona$77.17Unavailable
Arkansas$70.32Unavailable
Atlanta, GA$80.42Unavailable
Austin, TX$82.42Unavailable
Bakersfield, CA$84.59Unavailable
Baltimore area, MD$84.03Unavailable
Beaumont, TX$73.83Unavailable
Brazoria, TX$78.50Unavailable

78020 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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.

$70.32

$95.43

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

View every state and territory as a table
78020 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$92.191
AL$71.321
AR$70.321
AZ$77.171
CA$84.45–$106.4029
CO$82.821
CT$84.311
DC$90.721
DE$78.431
FL$77.27–$83.593
GA$73.14–$80.422
GU$86.561
HI$86.561
IA$73.411
ID$73.811
IL$74.86–$81.904
IN$74.231
KS$72.921
KY$72.601
LA$72.42–$75.912
MA$82.28–$91.102
MD$79.95–$90.723
ME$74.01–$78.142
MI$74.28–$78.042
MN$79.901
MO$71.11–$76.373
MS$70.731
MT$79.161
NC$74.781
ND$78.371
NE$73.851
NH$81.381
NJ$85.42–$89.792
NM$74.601
NV$79.001
NY$75.86–$92.555
OH$74.111
OK$72.641
OR$78.53–$85.582
PA$74.32–$82.162
PR$79.781
RI$81.311
SC$74.541
SD$78.271
TN$73.251
TX$73.83–$82.428
UT$75.541
VA$77.78–$90.722
VI$79.781
VT$77.921
WA$82.18–$93.092
WI$75.791
WV$72.121
WY$78.811

How the 78020 rate is calculated

Each of 78020’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 · 78020

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.59

0.59 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.74

1.74 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.04

0.04 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

2.3700

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$79.16

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 78020

The CMS indicators that decide how 78020 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 78020

Thyroid uptake, whole-body metastasis measurement

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)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical1Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 26 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

78020 without 26 · national office

$79.16

Thyroid uptake, whole-body metastasis measurement

78020-26 · Professional component

$26.05

Pays only the interpretation and report.

When to use modifier 26

78020 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 78020

    Thyroid uptake, whole-body metastasis measurement0.59 wRVU

    $79.16

  • 78018

    Thyroid metastasis scan, whole body with additional imaging0.84 wRVU

    $275.56+$196.40

  • 78015

    Thyroid metastasis imaging, limited anatomic area0.65 wRVU

    $204.08+$124.92

  • 78012

    Thyroid uptake, uptake measurement only0.19 wRVU

    $80.16+$1.00

How to choose

78018Thyroid metastasis scanWhole body with additional imaging
78018 is the primary whole-body thyroid carcinoma metastasis imaging service. Add 78020 when quantitative whole-body uptake measurement is also performed.
78015Thyroid metastasis imagingLimited anatomic area
78015 addresses thyroid carcinoma metastasis imaging of a limited area. 78020 is for quantitative whole-body uptake measurement and requires its primary procedure.
78012Thyroid uptakeUptake measurement only
78012 measures thyroid uptake for a different thyroid evaluation; 78020 quantifies whole-body uptake in the thyroid carcinoma metastasis imaging context.

Codes related to 78020

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

Codes related to 78020
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Primary code
78018Thyroid metastasis scan, whole body with additional imagingPrimary whole-body thyroid carcinoma metastasis imaging service required with this uptake measurement.$239.63–$385.32
Same family
78015Thyroid metastasis imaging, limited anatomic areaThyroid carcinoma metastasis imaging code for a limited area rather than a whole-body uptake measurement.$177.45–$284.65
78016Thyroid metastasis imaging, whole bodyRelated thyroid carcinoma metastasis imaging code; distinguishes imaging or studies from the uptake measurement.$219.01–$351.69
Used instead
78012Thyroid uptake, uptake measurement onlyThyroid uptake measurement for a different clinical evaluation, rather than whole-body thyroid carcinoma metastasis assessment.$69.29–$112.28

78020 billing questions

Can 78020 be reported by itself?

No. It is an add-on and must be reported with the primary whole-body thyroid carcinoma metastasis imaging service, 78018.

How is 78020 different from 78018?

78018 represents the primary whole-body metastasis imaging service. 78020 adds the quantitative whole-body uptake measurement.

When should modifier 26 or TC be used?

Use modifier 26 for the physician’s interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.

What documentation supports 78020?

Document the thyroid carcinoma indication, radioactive tracer administration, whole-body uptake measurement, and the interpreting physician’s findings.

How does the primary procedure’s global period affect this add-on?

CMS pays 78020 within the global period of the primary procedure. It is reported with 78018, not as a separate standalone service.

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 78020PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 9,197 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 78020 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 78020 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.

Build my fee sheet