CPT code 78306: Bone imaging, whole body2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports planar radionuclide imaging of the whole skeleton, commonly used to evaluate suspected bone metastases, unexplained bone pain, or other skeletal abnormalities.
Medicare pays $238.44–$272.19 for 78306 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 78306 covers
This service is a whole-body skeletal scan using a radiopharmaceutical that accumulates in areas of bone turnover. Nuclear medicine technologists acquire the images, and a nuclear medicine physician or other qualified physician interprets them. Common clinical uses include surveying for skeletal metastases, such as during cancer evaluation, and assessing multifocal or unexplained bone abnormalities. The scan may be performed in a hospital or an imaging center.
Select 78306 when the documented imaging covers the whole body, rather than a limited region or multiple selected areas. The report should support the extent of imaging and the clinical interpretation. The code may be billed globally, or the professional interpretation may be reported with modifier 26 and the technical service with modifier TC. Medicare’s diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction applies to both the technical and professional components when applicable.
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 78306 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
$238.44 to $272.19
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $272.19 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont, TX | $238.44 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria, TX | $256.77 | Unavailable |
| Dallas, TX | $258.15 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth, TX | $255.90 | Unavailable |
| Galveston, TX | $257.36 | Unavailable |
| Houston, TX | $258.82 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Texas | $247.28 | Unavailable |
How the 78306 rate is calculated
Each of 78306’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 · 78306
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.84
0.84 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.84
6.84 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.08
0.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
7.7600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$259.19
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 78306
The CMS indicators that decide how 78306 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 78306
Bone imaging, whole body
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 4 | Diagnostic imaging reduction applies to the technical component (and professional component) of additional services. |
| 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
78306 without 26 · national office
$259.19
Bone imaging, whole body
78306-26 · Professional component
$38.75
Pays only the interpretation and report.
78306 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 78300Bone scanLimited area
- Use 78300 when imaging is limited to a specific area, such as one region of concern. 78306 is for a whole-body skeletal survey.
- 78305Bone imagingMultiple areas
- 78305 covers multiple selected areas; 78306 covers the whole body. The documented extent of the scan distinguishes them.
- 78315Bone imagingThree-phase acquisition
- 78315 identifies a three-phase bone study with sequential imaging phases. 78306 identifies whole-body coverage, not a three-phase protocol.
78306 billing questions
How does 78306 differ from 78300 or 78305?
78306 describes whole-body skeletal imaging. Use 78300 for a limited area and 78305 for multiple areas when the study does not cover the whole body.
When is 78315 a better fit?
78315 is for a three-phase bone study, which includes sequential imaging phases. Choose based on the study performed and documented, not simply the body area examined.
Can the professional and technical services be billed separately?
Yes. Report modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service; without a modifier, the claim represents the global service.
Does 78306 include SPECT imaging?
78306 represents whole-body imaging; SPECT is a distinct tomographic acquisition. When SPECT is performed and separately reportable, 78320 may be relevant.
Can Medicare reduce payment when multiple imaging procedures are performed?
Medicare’s diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction applies to both the technical and professional components of 78306 when applicable.
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
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