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CPT code 78350: Bone density study, single photon2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Single-photon absorptiometry measures bone mineral at a peripheral skeletal site; CPT 78350 identifies this technique, which Medicare does not cover.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare rate · 78350

Bone density study, single photon

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
0.21
Total RVUs
0.99
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

—

Not priced in the facility setting.

See every locality for 78350 →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 78350 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 78350 covers

Single-photon absorptiometry measures bone mineral at a peripheral skeletal site, commonly the forearm. It is a bone-density measurement rather than radionuclide bone imaging for skeletal uptake. Radiology or nuclear medicine departments may perform the study, with the ordering and interpreting clinicians documenting the indication, technique, and measured site. Select this code when the study uses the single-photon method.

Medicare lists CPT 78350 with physician fee schedule status N, which means Medicare does not cover the service. The code distinguishes single-photon measurement from dual-photon absorptiometry reported with 78351 and from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry reported with codes such as 77081 or 77080. Documentation should identify the technique and site to distinguish a bone-mineral measurement from skeletal imaging performed for another diagnostic purpose.

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 78350 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

78350 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailableUnavailable
AlaskaUnavailableUnavailable
ArizonaUnavailableUnavailable
ArkansasUnavailableUnavailable
Atlanta, GAUnavailableUnavailable
Austin, TXUnavailableUnavailable
Bakersfield, CAUnavailableUnavailable
Baltimore area, MDUnavailableUnavailable
Beaumont, TXUnavailableUnavailable
Brazoria, TXUnavailableUnavailable

78350 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.

View every state and territory as a table
78350 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 78350 rate is calculated

Each of 78350’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 · 78350

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.21

0.21 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.76

0.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.02

0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

0.9900

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$33.07

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 78350

The CMS indicators that decide how 78350 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 78350

Bone density study, single photon

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodXXXThe global surgery concept doesn’t apply.
Multiple procedures9The concept doesn’t apply.
Bilateral (modifier 50)9The concept doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)9The concept doesn’t apply.
Co-surgeons (62)9The concept doesn’t apply.
Team surgery (66)9The concept doesn’t apply.
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

78350 without 26 · national facility

$0.00

Bone density study, single photon

78350-26 · Professional component

$0.00

Pays only the interpretation and report.

When to use modifier 26

78350 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 78350

    Bone density study, single photon0.21 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 78351

    Bone mineral study, dual-photon method0.29 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 77081

    Bone density, appendicular skeleton0.2 wRVU

    $31.73

  • 78300

    Bone scan, limited area0.6 wRVU

    $199.40

How to choose

78351Bone mineral studyDual-photon method
Use 78350 for single-photon absorptiometry and 78351 for dual-photon absorptiometry; the codes distinguish the measurement technique.
77081Bone densityAppendicular skeleton
77081 reports peripheral bone-density measurement by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, not single-photon absorptiometry.
78300Bone scanLimited area
78300 is limited-area radionuclide bone imaging. It evaluates skeletal tracer uptake rather than measuring bone mineral density.

Codes related to 78350

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

Codes related to 78350
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
78351Bone mineral study, dual-photon methodSibling bone-mineral study using dual-photon rather than single-photon absorptiometry.No office rate
Used instead
77081Bone density, appendicular skeletonPeripheral bone-density study using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.$27.97–$42.93
77080DXA bone density scan, axial skeleton, spine or hipAxial-skeleton bone-density study using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.$34.57–$54.01

78350 billing questions

How does 78350 differ from 78351?

78350 represents single-photon absorptiometry; 78351 represents dual-photon absorptiometry. Choose based on the technique performed.

Is 78350 a nuclear medicine bone scan?

No. It measures bone mineral by single-photon absorptiometry; bone scans such as 78300 evaluate skeletal radiotracer imaging.

What should the record identify?

Document the single-photon technique and the measured skeletal site, such as the forearm.

Does Medicare cover 78350?

No. Medicare assigns this code physician fee schedule status N, meaning the service is not covered.

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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