CPT code 78708: Renal imaging, pharmacologic intervention2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $172.35 for 78708 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $152.34–$232.11.

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

What 78708 covers

A renal renogram uses a radiotracer and serial imaging to assess blood flow, relative renal function, and tracer washout after a pharmacologic challenge. Common situations include evaluating suspected urinary obstruction with delayed drainage or assessing renal response to an ACE inhibitor, such as captopril. A nuclear medicine physician or radiologist interprets images acquired in a hospital or outpatient nuclear medicine department; technologists perform the imaging, and the drug challenge is part of the study.

Select this code when the renal flow-and-function imaging includes a pharmacologic intervention. Document the clinical indication, intervention, imaging performed, and interpretation. Use 78707 for the corresponding study without a drug intervention; 78709 describes studies involving multiple pharmacologic interventions. CMS allows the professional component with modifier 26, the technical component with modifier TC, or the global service without either modifier.

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 78708 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

78708 rates by state

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

How the 78708 rate is calculated

Each of 78708’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 78708

The CMS indicators that decide how 78708 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

78708 compared with similar codes

How to choose

78707Renal imagingSingle study, no drug

Choose 78708 when the renal flow-and-function imaging includes a pharmacologic intervention. Choose 78707 for the corresponding study without one.

78709Renal imagingMultiple flow and function studies

78709 describes the related study involving multiple pharmacologic interventions; 78708 is for a study with a pharmacologic intervention.

78725Kidney function studyQuantitative clearance

78725 is a renal function study without imaging. Use 78708 when the service includes renal imaging with flow and function assessment.

78701Kidney imagingWith vascular flow

78701 covers renal imaging with vascular flow. 78708 is the flow-and-function study performed with a pharmacologic intervention.

Codes related to 78708

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