CPT code 78701: Kidney imaging, with vascular flow2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $203.08 for 78701 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $175.90–$285.40.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 78701 covers

This nuclear medicine study captures images of the kidneys’ morphology along with the passage of radiotracer through the renal blood supply. A technologist performs the acquisition using nuclear imaging equipment, and a radiologist or nuclear medicine physician interprets the images. It may be selected when the requested study needs to show both renal structure and perfusion, rather than kidney morphology alone or a renal flow-and-function study.

Report 78701 when the documented examination includes the morphology and vascular-flow elements. The order and imaging report should support that scope; do not select it solely because a kidney study was performed. CMS prices the professional interpretation and technical acquisition separately when reported with modifier 26 or TC, respectively. Reporting the code without either modifier represents the global service, including both components.

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 78701 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

78701 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

How the 78701 rate is calculated

Each of 78701’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 78701

The CMS indicators that decide how 78701 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

78701 compared with similar codes

How to choose

78700Kidney imagingMorphology only

Use 78700 for renal morphology imaging without vascular-flow images. 78701 includes the vascular-flow element.

78707Renal imagingSingle study, no drug

78707 is a renal flow-and-function study without pharmacologic intervention; 78701 reports morphology imaging with vascular flow.

78708Renal imagingPharmacologic intervention

78708 is a renal flow-and-function study with pharmacologic intervention. Select 78701 when the performed study is morphology imaging with vascular flow instead.

Codes related to 78701

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

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