Billing code 70545: Head MR angiographyMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $226.46 for 70545 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $198.89–$310.55.

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

What 70545 covers

This service uses magnetic resonance imaging techniques and contrast to visualize arteries within the head. It may be performed to investigate suspected intracranial aneurysm, narrowing, or vascular malformation, or to assess known vascular disease. Imaging is typically performed in a hospital or outpatient imaging center, with a radiologist interpreting the study. It focuses on intracranial vessels rather than brain tissue or the arteries of the neck.

Choose this code when the documented head angiographic study uses contrast; use the corresponding head MRA code for a study without contrast or for imaging performed both without and with contrast. The order, imaging protocol, contrast documentation, and radiologist’s report should support the anatomy and contrast approach. The service has professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for interpretation, TC for equipment and staff, or neither modifier for the global service. When multiple diagnostic imaging procedures are reported, CMS’s multiple procedure reduction applies to 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 70545 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

70545 rates by state

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

How the 70545 rate is calculated

Each of 70545’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 70545

The CMS indicators that decide how 70545 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

70545 compared with similar codes

How to choose

70544Head MRA

Choose 70544 for head MR angiography without contrast; choose 70545 when contrast is used.

70546Head MR angiography

70546 represents head angiographic imaging both without and with contrast. 70545 represents the contrast-enhanced study without that combined approach.

70548Neck MRA

70548 targets the arteries of the neck. 70545 targets intracranial arteries in the head.

70553Brain MRI

70553 is a brain MRI performed without and with contrast, focused on brain tissue. 70545 is angiographic imaging of intracranial vessels.

Codes related to 70545

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