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CPT code 78429: Cardiac PET, single metabolic study with CT2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

A single-study cardiac PET metabolic examination with CT supports myocardial evaluation, including assessment of viability in ischemic heart disease.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.6K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare rate · 78429

Cardiac PET, single metabolic study with CT

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
0
Total RVUs
0.00
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

—

Not priced in the facility setting.

See every locality for 78429 →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 78429 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 78429 covers

This service is a cardiac PET examination that evaluates myocardial metabolism in one study, with a concurrently acquired CT transmission scan for attenuation correction and anatomical localization. It may be used to assess myocardial viability, including in patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction. Nuclear medicine and cardiology practices and hospital imaging departments may provide the technical service, while a qualified physician interprets the images.

Medicare assigns this CPT code carrier-priced status: CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim. Modifier 26 identifies the physician’s interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff portion. Reporting without either modifier represents the global service. Choose a different code when the examination evaluates perfusion or uses a different study protocol.

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 78429 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

78429 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

78429 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
78429 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 78429 rate is calculated

Each of 78429’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 · 78429

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.00

0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.00

0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.00

0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

0.0000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$0.00

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 78429

The CMS indicators that decide how 78429 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 78429

Cardiac PET, single metabolic study with CT

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodXXXThe global surgery concept doesn’t apply.
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

78429 without 26 · national facility

$0.00

Cardiac PET, single metabolic study with CT

78429-26 · Professional component

$77.82

Pays only the interpretation and report.

When to use modifier 26

78429 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 78429

    Cardiac PET, single metabolic study with CT0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 78430

    Myocardial PET, rest and stress with CT0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 78433

    Myocardial PET, two radiopharmaceuticals0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 78459

    PET myocardial imaging, single metabolic study0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 78431

    Cardiac PET, rest and stress with CT0 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

78430Myocardial PETRest and stress with CT
78430 describes a single PET perfusion study with CT. Choose 78429 when the study evaluates myocardial metabolism.
78433Myocardial PETTwo radiopharmaceuticals
78433 is the two-radiotracer cardiac PET code with CT; 78429 describes a single metabolic study with CT.
78459PET myocardial imagingSingle metabolic study
78459 describes a single-study myocardial metabolic PET examination without the CT transmission scan included in 78429.
78431Cardiac PETRest and stress with CT
78431 describes cardiac PET perfusion imaging at rest and stress with CT, rather than a single metabolic PET study.

Codes related to 78429

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

Codes related to 78429
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
78459PET myocardial imaging, single metabolic studySingle-study myocardial metabolic PET without the CT transmission scan.No office rate
Same family
78432Myocardial PET, two radiopharmaceuticalsA two-radiotracer myocardial PET study; distinguish its study protocol from this single metabolic study.No office rate
78433Myocardial PET, two radiopharmaceuticalsTwo-radiotracer myocardial PET with CT, rather than this single metabolic study.No office rate
78430Myocardial PET, rest and stress with CTSingle-study cardiac PET with CT for perfusion rather than metabolic evaluation.No office rate
78431Cardiac PET, rest and stress with CTCardiac PET perfusion imaging at rest and stress with CT.No office rate

78429 billing questions

When should 78429 be selected instead of 78430?

Use 78429 for a single PET study evaluating myocardial metabolism with CT. Code 78430 describes a single cardiac PET perfusion study with CT.

How does 78429 differ from 78433?

78429 describes a single metabolic PET study with CT. Code 78433 is the two-radiotracer cardiac PET code with CT.

Can the professional and technical portions be reported separately?

Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff portion. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.

What does Medicare's carrier-priced status mean for 78429?

CMS publishes no national payment for this code. The Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim.

What should the record support when reporting 78429?

The record should support a single cardiac PET metabolic study with a concurrently acquired CT transmission scan. The code is distinct from cardiac PET perfusion imaging.

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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