CPT code 78215: Liver-spleen scan, static images only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Static nuclear medicine imaging of the liver and spleen evaluates their distribution and appearance without a vascular-flow imaging phase.
Medicare pays $163.80–$187.41 for 78215 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont, TX to Austin, TX. 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 78215 covers
A nuclear medicine technologist administers the radiopharmaceutical and acquires static images of the liver and spleen; a nuclear medicine physician interprets the study. Clinicians may use it to assess the distribution and appearance of these organs, including evaluation for suspected ectopic splenic tissue or splenic tissue after splenectomy. The study is performed in a nuclear medicine department and is distinguished by static imaging rather than a vascular-flow phase.
Report this code when the examination images both the liver and spleen using static acquisitions. The order and report should support imaging of both organs and document the study performed; a liver-only examination or one that includes vascular-flow imaging points to a different code. CMS recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the interpretation and report, TC for equipment and staff, or neither modifier when billing 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 78215 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 payment localities
$163.80 to $187.41
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $187.41 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont, TX | $163.80 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria, TX | $176.53 | Unavailable |
| Dallas, TX | $177.53 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth, TX | $175.96 | Unavailable |
| Galveston, TX | $176.97 | Unavailable |
| Houston, TX | $178.25 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Texas | $169.97 | Unavailable |
How the 78215 rate is calculated
Each of 78215’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 · 78215
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.48
0.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.79
4.79 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.07
0.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
5.3400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$178.36
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 78215
The CMS indicators that decide how 78215 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 78215
Liver-spleen scan, static images only
| 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
78215 without 26 · national office
$178.36
Liver-spleen scan, static images only
78215-26 · Professional component
$22.71
Pays only the interpretation and report.
78215 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 78216Liver-spleen scanWith vascular flow
- Both codes image the liver and spleen; 78216 includes vascular-flow imaging, while 78215 is for static images only.
- 78201Liver imagingStatic images only
- 78201 is limited to static liver imaging. Choose 78215 when the examination images both the liver and spleen.
- 78226Hepatobiliary imagingWithout drug intervention
- 78226 is hepatobiliary system imaging; 78215 is static imaging of the liver and spleen.
78215 billing questions
When should 78215 be chosen over 78216?
Use 78215 for static liver and spleen images without vascular-flow imaging. Use 78216 when the examination includes vascular-flow imaging.
How does 78215 differ from 78201?
78215 covers static imaging of both the liver and spleen. 78201 is for static liver imaging alone.
Which modifier reports the interpretation?
Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and report. Use TC for the technical service, or bill without a modifier when billing the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 78215?
The record should support imaging of both the liver and spleen and identify the static examination performed. The report should reflect the organs imaged and the findings.
Is this the same type of study as hepatobiliary imaging?
No. 78215 images the liver and spleen, while 78226 evaluates the hepatobiliary system.
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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