Billing code 72129: Spine CTMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $169.34 for 72129 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $150.04–$228.27.

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

What 72129 covers

This service is a CT examination of the thoracic spine acquired after contrast administration, with images interpreted for vertebral and surrounding spinal findings. Radiology departments and imaging centers commonly perform it; a radiologist typically interprets the study. Clinical situations may include evaluation of a suspected enhancing vertebral or paraspinal abnormality, such as a neoplasm or infection, when the imaging protocol calls for contrast-only CT.

Select this code when the documented examination is of the thoracic spine and uses contrast without a separate noncontrast series. The order, imaging report, and protocol should support the spinal region and contrast technique; use the combined-study code when both noncontrast and contrast acquisitions are performed. Medicare recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies interpretation, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and no modifier represents the global service. When multiple diagnostic imaging procedures are reported, the 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 72129 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

72129 rates by state

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

How the 72129 rate is calculated

Each of 72129’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 72129

The CMS indicators that decide how 72129 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

72129 compared with similar codes

How to choose

72128Spine CT

72128 is for a thoracic spine CT performed without contrast. Choose this code when the study uses contrast only.

72130Thoracic spine CT

72130 is for a thoracic spine CT with both noncontrast and contrast acquisitions; this code describes contrast-only imaging.

72147Thoracic MRI

72147 reports thoracic spine MRI with contrast, not CT. The modality documented in the imaging record determines which code applies.

Codes related to 72129

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