CPT code 78140: Red-cell study, splenic sequestration2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
A nuclear medicine study evaluates trapping or pooling of circulating red cells, typically when splenic sequestration is suspected.
Medicare pays $103.13–$113.71 for 78140 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.
Your location
On this page 9 sections
What 78140 covers
Red-cell sequestration testing evaluates whether circulating erythrocytes are being trapped or pooled, usually in the spleen. Nuclear medicine staff prepare and administer labeled red cells and obtain study measurements; a physician with nuclear medicine expertise interprets the findings. The test may be used when hypersplenism or another disorder involving splenic removal of red cells is suspected. It evaluates red-cell handling rather than simply depicting splenic anatomy.
Report 78140 for the sequestration study performed and documented. The record should support the clinical question, the labeled-cell study and measurements, and the interpreting physician’s findings. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for interpretation, modifier TC for equipment and staff, or no component modifier for the global service when one billing entity furnishes both. The professional and technical components are separately priced.
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 78140 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
$103.13 to $113.71
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $112.63 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis, IL | $104.50 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Illinois | $103.13 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago, IL | $113.71 | Unavailable |
How the 78140 rate is calculated
Each of 78140’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 · 78140
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.59
0.59 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.65
2.65 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.05
0.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
3.2900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$109.89
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 78140
The CMS indicators that decide how 78140 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 78140
Red-cell study, splenic sequestration
| 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
78140 without 26 · national office
$109.89
Red-cell study, splenic sequestration
78140-26 · Professional component
$23.71
Pays only the interpretation and report.
78140 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 78130Red-cell survivalErythrocyte lifespan
- Choose 78140 to evaluate red-cell sequestration, usually in the spleen. Choose 78130 when the study evaluates red-cell survival.
- 78120Red cell massSingle determination
- 78120 measures red-cell mass; 78140 evaluates whether circulating red cells are being trapped or pooled.
- 78185Spleen imagingRadionuclide study
- 78185 is spleen imaging. It does not represent the labeled red-cell sequestration assessment described by 78140.
78140 billing questions
How is this different from a red-cell survival study?
78140 evaluates red-cell trapping or pooling, usually in the spleen. A red-cell survival study, 78130, addresses how long red cells remain in circulation.
Which modifiers identify the professional and technical portions?
Use modifier 26 for the physician’s interpretation and modifier TC for the equipment and staff. Report the global service without a component modifier when one billing entity furnishes both.
What documentation supports reporting 78140?
Document the reason for evaluating sequestration, the labeled-cell study and measurements performed, and the physician’s interpretation of the findings.
Is this a red-cell mass measurement?
No. 78140 evaluates sequestration; 78120 measures red-cell mass. Select the code that matches the study performed and the diagnostic question documented.
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
Fee sheets
Put 78140 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.
Build my fee sheet