CPT code 78700: Kidney imaging, morphology only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Static renal scintigraphy depicts kidney anatomy and cortical pattern when the clinical question concerns morphology rather than perfusion or function.
Medicare pays $134.41–$146.76 for 78700 in the office in Missouri, from Rest of Missouri to Metropolitan St. Louis, MO. 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 78700 covers
This nuclear medicine study produces images of the kidneys’ location, size, contour, and cortical pattern after administration of a radiopharmaceutical. It may be used when evaluation centers on renal anatomy or suspected cortical abnormalities, such as scarring. A nuclear medicine technologist typically acquires the images in an imaging department, and a physician interprets the study.
Choose 78700 when the performed study evaluates renal morphology, rather than renal blood flow or function. The record should support the clinical reason for imaging, the study performed, and the physician’s interpretation. CMS recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: the interpreting physician may report modifier 26, the equipment-and-staff portion may be reported with modifier TC, and billing without either modifier represents 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 78700 pays more and less in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$134.41 to $146.76
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | $144.93 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | $146.76 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Missouri | $134.41 | Unavailable |
How the 78700 rate is calculated
Each of 78700’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 · 78700
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.44
0.44 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.09
4.09 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.06
0.06 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
4.5900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$153.31
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 78700
The CMS indicators that decide how 78700 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 78700
Kidney imaging, morphology only
| 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
78700 without 26 · national office
$153.31
Kidney imaging, morphology only
78700-26 · Professional component
$20.04
Pays only the interpretation and report.
78700 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 78701Kidney imagingWith vascular flow
- Choose 78700 for morphology-focused images; 78701 describes renal imaging that includes assessment of blood flow.
- 78707Renal imagingSingle study, no drug
- 78707 evaluates renal flow and function without pharmacologic intervention, while 78700 focuses on morphology.
- 78708Renal imagingPharmacologic intervention
- 78708 evaluates renal flow and function with pharmacologic intervention; 78700 is selected for a morphology-focused study.
- 78725Kidney function studyQuantitative clearance
- 78725 is a renal function study. Use 78700 when the performed nuclear imaging evaluates renal morphology instead.
78700 billing questions
When should 78700 be chosen instead of 78701?
Use 78700 for a study focused on renal morphology. Use 78701 when the imaging protocol includes assessment of renal blood flow.
How does 78700 differ from 78707 or 78708?
Those codes describe renal imaging that evaluates flow and function. Code 78700 is for morphology-focused imaging.
Which modifiers identify the professional and technical portions?
Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service. Reporting the code without either modifier represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 78700?
Document the clinical indication, the morphology-focused imaging performed, and the interpreting physician’s findings. The record should distinguish the study from a renal flow or function protocol.
Can 78700 be reported for a renal function study?
Not when the performed study is a function study rather than morphology imaging. Consider the renal function code that matches the actual protocol, such as 78725.
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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