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CPT code 78472: Cardiac blood-pool imaging, single planar equilibrium study2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports a single planar gated blood-pool study used to assess ventricular function, including ejection fraction, with equilibrium radionuclide imaging.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities8.4K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $207.42 for 78472 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $181.78–$286.03.

Medicare rate · 78472

Cardiac blood-pool imaging, single planar equilibrium study

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
0.96
Total RVUs
6.21
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

$207.42

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 78472 →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 78472 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 78472 covers

This nuclear medicine study tracks radiolabeled blood through the heart to assess ventricular function, commonly including ejection fraction and wall motion. A nuclear medicine technologist performs the acquisition, and a qualified physician interprets it. It is used in settings such as cardiac evaluation and monitoring ventricular function before or during potentially cardiotoxic chemotherapy.

Report this code for one planar gated-equilibrium study; use the multiple-study sibling when the service includes multiple studies. The record should support the acquisition method and study count, along with the clinical reason and interpretation. The code has professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and no component modifier represents the global service. The cardiovascular diagnostic multiple procedure reduction applies to the technical component.

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 78472 pays more and less

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

109 payment localities

$181.78 to $286.03

$181.78$233.90$286.03
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

78472 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$184.67Unavailable
Alaska$233.48Unavailable
Arizona$201.68Unavailable
Arkansas$181.78Unavailable
Atlanta, GA$210.82Unavailable
Austin, TX$217.19Unavailable
Bakersfield, CA$223.56Unavailable
Baltimore area, MD$221.17Unavailable
Beaumont, TX$191.69Unavailable
Brazoria, TX$205.53Unavailable

78472 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.

$181.78

$254.67

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
78472 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$233.481
AL$184.671
AR$181.781
AZ$201.681
CA$223.30–$286.0329
CO$218.271
CT$221.921
DC$240.191
DE$205.241
FL$201.17–$218.593
GA$189.28–$210.822
GU$229.951
HI$229.951
IA$191.131
ID$192.201
IL$193.90–$214.374
IN$193.441
KS$189.521
KY$188.021
LA$187.45–$197.592
MA$216.54–$241.942
MD$209.59–$240.193
ME$192.59–$204.882
MI$192.74–$203.212
MN$210.551
MO$183.52–$199.143
MS$182.721
MT$207.411
NC$194.891
ND$205.831
NE$192.461
NH$214.171
NJ$224.85–$237.252
NM$193.621
NV$207.151
NY$197.99–$244.405
OH$192.421
OK$188.351
OR$205.94–$226.422
PA$193.11–$215.592
PR$209.281
RI$213.441
SC$193.891
SD$205.651
TN$190.471
TX$191.69–$217.198
UT$196.791
VA$203.70–$240.192
VI$209.281
VT$204.371
WA$216.35–$247.732
WI$198.321
WV$185.951
WY$206.721

How the 78472 rate is calculated

Each of 78472’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 · 78472

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.96

0.96 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense5.17

5.17 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.08

0.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

6.2100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$207.42

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 78472

The CMS indicators that decide how 78472 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 78472

Cardiac blood-pool imaging, single planar equilibrium study

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodXXXThe global surgery concept doesn’t apply.
Multiple procedures6Diagnostic cardiovascular reduction applies to the technical component.
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

78472 without 26 · national office

$207.42

Cardiac blood-pool imaging, single planar equilibrium study

78472-26 · Professional component

$44.76

Pays only the interpretation and report.

When to use modifier 26

78472 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 78472

    Cardiac blood-pool imaging, single planar equilibrium study0.96 wRVU

    $207.42

  • 78473

    Gated heart imaging, multiple studies1.43 wRVU

    $266.87+$59.45

  • 78481

    Cardiac function imaging, single first-pass study0.96 wRVU

    $162.33−$45.09

  • 78453

    Heart perfusion imaging, single planar study0.98 wRVU

    $262.87+$55.45

  • 78494

    Cardiac blood-pool imaging, gated SPECT1.16 wRVU

    $211.09+$3.67

How to choose

78473Gated heart imagingMultiple studies
Both describe planar gated-equilibrium blood-pool imaging; 78472 is for one study, while 78473 is for multiple studies.
78481Cardiac function imagingSingle first-pass study
78481 reports single-study first-pass blood-pool imaging. 78472 uses the gated-equilibrium acquisition method.
78453Heart perfusion imagingSingle planar study
78453 is a single-study planar myocardial perfusion examination. 78472 images the cardiac blood pool to assess ventricular function.
78494Cardiac blood-pool imagingGated SPECT
78494 uses SPECT for gated-equilibrium blood-pool imaging; 78472 is the planar study.

Codes related to 78472

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

Codes related to 78472
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
78473Gated heart imaging, multiple studiesPlanar gated-equilibrium blood-pool imaging for multiple studies rather than a single study.$234.71–$365.64
Used instead
78481Cardiac function imaging, single first-pass studyUses first-pass blood-pool imaging for a single study instead of the equilibrium method.$143.39–$221.92
78483First-pass cardiac imaging, multiple studiesUses first-pass blood-pool imaging for multiple studies.$194.32–$298.16
78494Cardiac blood-pool imaging, gated SPECTGated-equilibrium blood-pool imaging performed with SPECT rather than planar acquisition.$185.76–$288.81

78472 billing questions

When is 78472 selected instead of 78473?

Use 78472 for one planar gated-equilibrium study. Use 78473 when multiple studies are performed.

How does 78472 differ from first-pass imaging?

78472 describes gated-equilibrium blood-pool imaging. First-pass cardiac blood-pool imaging is reported with 78481 for a single study or 78483 for multiple studies.

Can the interpretation and technical service be billed separately?

Yes. Report modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.

Which part is subject to the cardiovascular diagnostic multiple procedure reduction?

The reduction applies to the technical component of 78472. It does not apply to the professional component.

What documentation supports reporting one study?

Document the planar gated-equilibrium acquisition, the number of studies performed, the clinical indication, and the physician's interpretation.

Is 78472 a myocardial perfusion study?

No. It evaluates cardiac blood-pool movement and ventricular function; myocardial perfusion codes describe imaging of blood flow to the heart muscle.

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
RVUs for 78472PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 9,398 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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