Billing code 70542: MRI with contrastMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $266.54 for 70542 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $235.13–$363.50.

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

What 70542 covers

This code covers MRI of the orbit, face, and/or neck when contrast is administered. A radiology technologist performs the scan, and a radiologist interprets the images. Examples include evaluating an orbital or facial soft-tissue abnormality or characterizing a neck mass. The code is for these anatomic regions, not a brain MRI or MR angiography examination.

Select this code when the documented examination uses contrast without also including a precontrast imaging portion; use the without-and-with-contrast code when both portions are performed. The order, imaging report, and contrast documentation should support the body region examined and the contrast protocol. The service may be billed globally, or its interpretation and technical work may be reported separately with modifier 26 or TC, respectively. When multiple diagnostic imaging procedures are performed, CMS multiple procedure reduction applies to both the professional and technical 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 70542 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

70542 rates by state

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

How the 70542 rate is calculated

Each of 70542’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 70542

The CMS indicators that decide how 70542 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

70542 compared with similar codes

How to choose

70540MRI

70540 describes the same anatomic regions without contrast; 70542 is for an examination performed with contrast.

70543Regional MRI

70543 includes precontrast and postcontrast imaging, while 70542 is for imaging with contrast only.

70553Brain MRI

70553 is an MRI of the brain with and without contrast. Choose based on the anatomy imaged; it is not the orbit, face, or neck code.

Codes related to 70542

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