CPT code 78582: Lung scan, ventilation and perfusion2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Reports paired lung ventilation and perfusion imaging, commonly used to evaluate suspected pulmonary embolism by comparing airflow and blood-flow patterns.
Medicare pays $293.66–$337.77 for 78582 in the office in Maryland, from Rest of Maryland to Washington, DC area. 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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What 78582 covers
A nuclear medicine team acquires images of air distribution after the patient inhales a radiotracer and blood flow after an intravenous radiotracer. A nuclear medicine physician interprets the paired patterns, often for evaluation of suspected pulmonary embolism. The study is typically performed in a hospital or outpatient imaging department, with imaging staff handling tracer administration and acquisition.
Report 78582 when both ventilation and perfusion imaging are performed as a paired lung study; ventilation-only or perfusion-only imaging is reported with a different code. Documentation should support both portions of the examination and include the resulting interpretation. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the interpretation, modifier TC for the equipment and staff, or no component modifier for 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 78582 pays more and less in Maryland
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$293.66 to $337.77
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | $310.42 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Maryland | $293.66 | Unavailable |
| Washington, DC area | $337.77 | Unavailable |
How the 78582 rate is calculated
Each of 78582’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 · 78582
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.04
1.04 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.55
7.55 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.11
0.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
8.7000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$290.59
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 78582
The CMS indicators that decide how 78582 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 78582
Lung scan, ventilation and perfusion
| 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
78582 without 26 · national office
$290.59
Lung scan, ventilation and perfusion
78582-26 · Professional component
$48.43
Pays only the interpretation and report.
78582 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 78579Lung scanVentilation only
- 78579 covers ventilation imaging alone. Choose 78582 when the examination also includes perfusion imaging.
- 78580Lung perfusion scanPerfusion only
- 78580 covers perfusion imaging alone. Choose 78582 when ventilation imaging is also performed.
- 78598Lung V/Q imagingDifferential ventilation and perfusion
- 78598 is for differential ventilation and perfusion imaging used to assess distribution quantitatively; 78582 reports the paired lung imaging study.
78582 billing questions
When should 78582 be chosen over 78579 or 78580?
Use 78582 when the examination includes both ventilation and perfusion imaging. Code 78579 is for ventilation imaging alone, and 78580 is for perfusion imaging alone.
How are the professional and technical services reported?
Use modifier 26 for the physician's interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service. Without either modifier, the code represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 78582?
The record should show that both ventilation and perfusion images were acquired and include the physician's interpretation of the study.
Is this the same as differential lung imaging?
No. 78582 reports paired ventilation and perfusion imaging; differential codes address quantitative assessment of lung-function distribution.
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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