$93.02–$138.59
72255 applies to thoracic myelographic imaging; 72240 applies to the cervical region.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
72240 Myelography Medicare reimbursement rates
Reports fluoroscopic myelographic imaging and interpretation of the cervical spine after intrathecal contrast, such as when evaluating suspected canal or nerve-root abnormalities. Compare 72240 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 72240?
The service location and office or facility setting determine which base rate applies. These are the supported base rates for the 109 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$99.50–$149.36
109 of 109 localities have a supported rate.
Lowest: Arkansas
Highest: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
A spread of $49.86 per service.
Facility setting
No supported rate
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Where 72240 pays more and less
109 payment localities
$99.50 to $149.36
Radiology
About 72240: Cervical spine myelography imaging
Reports fluoroscopic myelographic imaging and interpretation of the cervical spine after intrathecal contrast, such as when evaluating suspected canal or nerve-root abnormalities.
Cervical myelography uses fluoroscopic imaging after contrast has been introduced into the spinal fluid to show the cervical spinal canal and related structures. A radiologist typically supervises the imaging and interprets the resulting study. It may be used to assess suspected cervical canal narrowing, nerve-root compression, or postsurgical anatomy, including when other imaging does not adequately answer the clinical question. The service is reported for the cervical region, not for a study covering multiple spinal regions.
Choose this code when the documented myelographic imaging and interpretation cover the cervical spine. The report should identify the region examined and describe the relevant findings; the record should support that a myelographic study was performed. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and billing without either modifier represents the global service. The technical component accounts for the imaging resources, while the professional component represents the physician’s interpretation.
CMS billing rules for 72240
- Professional and technical components
- Diagnostic test with a professional component (modifier 26, interpretation) and a technical component (modifier TC, equipment and staff); billing without a modifier is the global service.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU0.89 · 27%
- Practice expense (office) RVU2.39 · 71%
- Malpractice RVU0.07 · 2%
266
Medicare services in 2024 · #4088 by national volume
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.
72240 compared with similar codes
Office rate ranges across all CMS payment localities, from the same CMS release.
$97.81–$148.14
72265 applies to lumbosacral myelographic imaging; 72240 applies to the cervical region.
$119.97–$175.82
Use 72270 when the myelographic study covers two or more spinal regions. Use 72240 when the documented imaging is cervical only.
See how rates vary across the country
72240 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.
Explore a state
Local rates. Clear comparisons.
Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.
$99.50
$134.17
Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.
View all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $130.90 | 1 |
| AL | $100.90 | 1 |
| AR | $99.50 | 1 |
| AZ | $109.08 | 1 |
| CA | $118.98–$149.36 | 29 |
| CO | $116.85 | 1 |
| CT | $119.13 | 1 |
| DC | $127.97 | 1 |
| DE | $110.85 | 1 |
| FL | $109.56–$118.74 | 3 |
| GA | $103.72–$113.73 | 2 |
| GU | $121.85 | 1 |
| HI | $121.85 | 1 |
| IA | $103.70 | 1 |
| ID | $104.27 | 1 |
| IL | $106.26–$116.06 | 4 |
| IN | $104.86 | 1 |
| KS | $103.07 | 1 |
| KY | $102.83 | 1 |
| LA | $102.61–$107.50 | 2 |
| MA | $116.12–$128.34 | 2 |
| MD | $112.96–$127.97 | 3 |
| ME | $104.62–$110.31 | 2 |
| MI | $105.25–$110.70 | 2 |
| MN | $112.56 | 1 |
| MO | $100.82–$108.07 | 3 |
| MS | $100.19 | 1 |
| MT | $111.89 | 1 |
| NC | $105.70 | 1 |
| ND | $110.50 | 1 |
| NE | $104.29 | 1 |
| NH | $114.87 | 1 |
| NJ | $120.65–$126.70 | 2 |
| NM | $105.74 | 1 |
| NV | $111.58 | 1 |
| NY | $107.21–$130.89 | 5 |
| OH | $104.97 | 1 |
| OK | $102.83 | 1 |
| OR | $110.88–$120.63 | 2 |
| PA | $105.22–$116.15 | 2 |
| PR | $112.74 | 1 |
| RI | $114.84 | 1 |
| SC | $105.48 | 1 |
| SD | $110.34 | 1 |
| TN | $103.55 | 1 |
| TX | $104.54–$116.32 | 8 |
| UT | $106.86 | 1 |
| VA | $109.85–$127.97 | 2 |
| VI | $112.74 | 1 |
| VT | $109.94 | 1 |
| WA | $115.95–$131.07 | 2 |
| WI | $106.92 | 1 |
| WV | $102.44 | 1 |
| WY | $111.29 | 1 |
Compare 72240 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Office $100.90 | Facility Unavailable |
| Alaska* | Office $130.90 | Facility Unavailable |
| Arizona | Office $109.08 | Facility Unavailable |
| Arkansas | Office $99.50 | Facility Unavailable |
| Atlanta | Office $113.73 | Facility Unavailable |
| Austin | Office $116.32 | Facility Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | Office $119.21 | Facility Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | Office $118.75 | Facility Unavailable |
| Beaumont | Office $104.54 | Facility Unavailable |
| Brazoria | Office $110.90 | Facility Unavailable |
| Chicago | Office $115.53 | Facility Unavailable |
| Chico | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
| Colorado | Office $116.85 | Facility Unavailable |
| Connecticut | Office $119.13 | Facility Unavailable |
| Dallas | Office $111.51 | Facility Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Office $127.97 | Facility Unavailable |
| Delaware | Office $110.85 | Facility Unavailable |
| Detroit | Office $110.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | Office $107.88 | Facility Unavailable |
| El Centro | Office $118.99 | Facility Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | Office $114.82 | Facility Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | Office $110.74 | Facility Unavailable |
| Fresno | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
| Galveston | Office $111.17 | Facility Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | Office $121.85 | Facility Unavailable |
| Houston | Office $112.45 | Facility Unavailable |
| Idaho | Office $104.27 | Facility Unavailable |
| Indiana | Office $104.86 | Facility Unavailable |
| Iowa | Office $103.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Kansas | Office $103.07 | Facility Unavailable |
| Kentucky | Office $102.83 | Facility Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office $126.93 | Facility Unavailable |
| Madera | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
| Manhattan | Office $128.10 | Facility Unavailable |
| Merced | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | Office $128.34 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | Office $106.97 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | Office $116.15 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | Office $108.07 | Facility Unavailable |
| Miami | Office $118.74 | Facility Unavailable |
| Minnesota | Office $112.56 | Facility Unavailable |
| Mississippi | Office $100.19 | Facility Unavailable |
| Modesto | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
| Montana** | Office $111.89 | Facility Unavailable |
| Napa | Office $138.00 | Facility Unavailable |
| Nebraska | Office $104.29 | Facility Unavailable |
| Nevada** | Office $111.58 | Facility Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | Office $114.87 | Facility Unavailable |
| New Mexico | Office $105.74 | Facility Unavailable |
| New Orleans | Office $107.50 | Facility Unavailable |
| North Carolina | Office $105.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | Office $110.50 | Facility Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | Office $126.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | Office $130.89 | Facility Unavailable |
| Ohio | Office $104.97 | Facility Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | Office $102.83 | Facility Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office $126.37 | Facility Unavailable |
| Portland | Office $120.63 | Facility Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | Office $121.31 | Facility Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | Office $112.74 | Facility Unavailable |
| Queens | Office $129.36 | Facility Unavailable |
| Redding | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | Office $109.56 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | Office $103.72 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | Office $106.26 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | Office $102.61 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | Office $104.62 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | Office $112.96 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Office $116.12 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | Office $105.25 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | Office $100.82 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | Office $120.65 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | Office $107.21 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | Office $110.88 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | Office $105.22 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | Office $107.59 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | Office $115.95 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | Office $114.84 | Facility Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office $119.75 | Facility Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office $124.89 | Facility Unavailable |
| Salinas | Office $124.42 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office $127.36 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office $146.18 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office $146.10 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office $149.36 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office $149.04 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office $122.41 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office $128.60 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office $124.89 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office $129.90 | Facility Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Office $131.07 | Facility Unavailable |
| South Carolina | Office $105.48 | Facility Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | Office $110.34 | Facility Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | Office $110.31 | Facility Unavailable |
| Stockton | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | Office $116.06 | Facility Unavailable |
| Tennessee | Office $103.55 | Facility Unavailable |
| Utah | Office $106.86 | Facility Unavailable |
| Vallejo | Office $137.89 | Facility Unavailable |
| Vermont | Office $109.94 | Facility Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | Office $112.74 | Facility Unavailable |
| Virginia | Office $109.85 | Facility Unavailable |
| Visalia | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
| West Virginia | Office $102.44 | Facility Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | Office $106.92 | Facility Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | Office $111.29 | Facility Unavailable |
| Yuba City | Office $118.98 | Facility Unavailable |
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72240 billing questions
When should 72240 be selected instead of 72270?
Use 72240 for myelographic imaging of the cervical region alone. 72270 is the sibling code for a study covering two or more spinal regions.
How does 72240 differ from 72255 or 72265?
The distinction is the spinal region imaged: 72240 is cervical, 72255 is thoracic, and 72265 is lumbosacral.
Which modifier identifies the radiologist’s interpretation?
Append modifier 26 when billing only the professional interpretation. Modifier TC identifies the technical component; billing without either modifier represents the global service.
Does 72240 cover the contrast injection?
72240 represents cervical myelographic imaging with supervision and interpretation. The CMS component information identifies professional and technical portions but does not specify separate payment for contrast placement.
What documentation supports reporting 72240?
Document the cervical region examined and retain the myelographic imaging interpretation describing the findings. The record should support that the study was limited to the cervical region rather than multiple spinal regions.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
8,07872220,,X-ray exam sacrum tailbone,A,,0.17,0.77,,0.77,NA,0.02,0.96,0.96,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,2.69,2.69,0.05
8,07972220,26,X-ray exam sacrum tailbone,A,,0.17,0.07,,0.07,,0.01,0.25,0.25,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,08072220,TC,X-ray exam sacrum tailbone,A,,0.00,0.70,,0.70,NA,0.01,0.71,0.71,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,2.62,2.62,0.04
8,08172240,,Myelography neck spine,A,,0.89,2.39,,2.39,NA,0.07,3.35,3.35,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,24.20,24.20,0.18
8,08272240,26,Myelography neck spine,A,,0.89,0.34,,0.34,,0.06,1.29,1.29,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,08372240,TC,Myelography neck spine,A,,0.00,2.05,,2.05,NA,0.01,2.06,2.06,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,03,0,99,23.86,23.86,0.12
8,08472255,,Myelography thoracic spine,A,,0.89,2.17,,2.17,NA,0.06,3.12,3.12,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,24.17,24.17,0.18