Billing code 70481: CT imagingMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $179.70 for 70481 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $158.51–$244.20.

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

What 70481 covers

This service is a contrast-enhanced CT study directed to the orbit, sella, posterior fossa, or ear. It may be used to evaluate findings such as suspected orbital infection or mass, or a lesion in the sella or posterior fossa. A technologist typically performs the acquisition in a hospital, imaging center, or equipped office; a radiologist interprets the images and reports the findings.

Select this code when the documented study targets one of these regions and uses contrast. Use the corresponding noncontrast or combined-protocol code when the documented protocol differs, and choose a head or maxillofacial CT code when that is the intended anatomic study. Documentation should identify the region examined, clinical indication, contrast protocol, and interpretation. Report the global service without a component modifier, modifier 26 for the interpretation, or modifier TC for the technical service. The diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction applies to both the professional and technical components when applicable.

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 70481 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

70481 rates by state

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

How the 70481 rate is calculated

Each of 70481’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 70481

The CMS indicators that decide how 70481 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

70481 compared with similar codes

How to choose

70480Targeted CT

Choose 70480 for the same targeted regions when the protocol is performed without contrast; choose 70481 when contrast is used.

70482CT imaging

Choose 70482 when imaging includes both noncontrast and contrast phases. This code describes the contrast-enhanced study without the noncontrast phase.

70460Head CT

70460 is for a contrast-enhanced head or brain CT. Use 70481 when the documented target is the orbit, sella, posterior fossa, or ear.

70487Facial CT

70487 covers contrast-enhanced CT of the maxillofacial region; 70481 is selected for its specified orbital, sellar, posterior fossa, or ear targets.

Codes related to 70481

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