$95.38–$149.22
76536 is an ultrasound examination of head and neck soft tissues. Use 76506 for real-time imaging of intracranial structures.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
76506 Cranial ultrasound Medicare reimbursement rates
Reports real-time ultrasound imaging of the brain, commonly through an infant's open fontanelle to assess ventricles and detect intracranial abnormalities. Compare 76506 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 76506?
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
$95.83–$148.74
109 of 109 localities have a supported rate.
Lowest: Arkansas
Highest: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
A spread of $52.91 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 76506 pays more and less
109 payment localities
$95.83 to $148.74
Diagnostic ultrasound
About 76506: Real-time cranial ultrasound examination
Reports real-time ultrasound imaging of the brain, commonly through an infant's open fontanelle to assess ventricles and detect intracranial abnormalities.
This examination uses real-time ultrasound to image intracranial structures, typically through an infant’s open fontanelle. It can help assess ventricular size and evaluate for findings such as hydrocephalus or intracranial hemorrhage. A sonographer may acquire the images, with a physician—often a radiologist—providing the interpretation. The service is commonly performed in hospital settings for newborns and young infants when cranial imaging is clinically indicated.
Report 76506 for the cranial ultrasound examination with image documentation, rather than an ultrasound of the head’s soft tissues or the eyes. The record should support the clinical reason for imaging and include the saved images and interpretation. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the interpretation, modifier TC for the equipment and staff, or neither modifier for the global service. The code’s listed components are separately priced by CMS.
CMS billing rules for 76506
- 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 RVU0.61 · 19%
- Practice expense (office) RVU2.60 · 80%
- Malpractice RVU0.05 · 2%
352
Medicare services in 2024 · #3856 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.
76506 compared with similar codes
Office rate ranges across all CMS payment localities, from the same CMS release.
$42.64–$63.94
76516 describes an ultrasound examination of the eye. It is not the code for imaging the brain through an infant’s fontanelle.
See how rates vary across the country
76506 · 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.
$95.83
$132.77
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 | $123.97 | 1 |
| AL | $97.31 | 1 |
| AR | $95.83 | 1 |
| AZ | $105.95 | 1 |
| CA | $116.80–$148.74 | 29 |
| CO | $114.32 | 1 |
| CT | $116.33 | 1 |
| DC | $125.63 | 1 |
| DE | $107.78 | 1 |
| FL | $105.91–$115.00 | 3 |
| GA | $99.83–$110.67 | 2 |
| GU | $120.08 | 1 |
| HI | $120.08 | 1 |
| IA | $100.50 | 1 |
| ID | $101.06 | 1 |
| IL | $102.27–$112.66 | 4 |
| IN | $101.69 | 1 |
| KS | $99.72 | 1 |
| KY | $99.11 | 1 |
| LA | $98.83–$103.99 | 2 |
| MA | $113.48–$126.39 | 2 |
| MD | $110.00–$125.63 | 3 |
| ME | $101.31–$107.49 | 2 |
| MI | $101.55–$106.99 | 2 |
| MN | $110.23 | 1 |
| MO | $96.86–$104.72 | 3 |
| MS | $96.38 | 1 |
| MT | $108.88 | 1 |
| NC | $102.47 | 1 |
| ND | $107.89 | 1 |
| NE | $101.16 | 1 |
| NH | $112.24 | 1 |
| NJ | $117.85–$124.18 | 2 |
| NM | $102.01 | 1 |
| NV | $108.69 | 1 |
| NY | $104.05–$128.04 | 5 |
| OH | $101.35 | 1 |
| OK | $99.22 | 1 |
| OR | $108.04–$118.42 | 2 |
| PA | $101.67–$113.14 | 2 |
| PR | $109.82 | 1 |
| RI | $111.96 | 1 |
| SC | $102.04 | 1 |
| SD | $107.78 | 1 |
| TN | $100.21 | 1 |
| TX | $100.95–$113.77 | 8 |
| UT | $103.51 | 1 |
| VA | $106.92–$125.63 | 2 |
| VI | $109.82 | 1 |
| VT | $107.19 | 1 |
| WA | $113.36–$129.31 | 2 |
| WI | $104.08 | 1 |
| WV | $98.23 | 1 |
| WY | $108.45 | 1 |
Compare 76506 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 $97.31 | Facility Unavailable |
| Alaska* | Office $123.97 | Facility Unavailable |
| Arizona | Office $105.95 | Facility Unavailable |
| Arkansas | Office $95.83 | Facility Unavailable |
| Atlanta | Office $110.67 | Facility Unavailable |
| Austin | Office $113.77 | Facility Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | Office $116.96 | Facility Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | Office $115.95 | Facility Unavailable |
| Beaumont | Office $100.95 | Facility Unavailable |
| Brazoria | Office $107.90 | Facility Unavailable |
| Chicago | Office $111.63 | Facility Unavailable |
| Chico | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Colorado | Office $114.32 | Facility Unavailable |
| Connecticut | Office $116.33 | Facility Unavailable |
| Dallas | Office $108.49 | Facility Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Office $125.63 | Facility Unavailable |
| Delaware | Office $107.78 | Facility Unavailable |
| Detroit | Office $106.99 | Facility Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | Office $103.63 | Facility Unavailable |
| El Centro | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | Office $111.37 | Facility Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | Office $107.64 | Facility Unavailable |
| Fresno | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Galveston | Office $108.15 | Facility Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | Office $120.08 | Facility Unavailable |
| Houston | Office $109.07 | Facility Unavailable |
| Idaho | Office $101.06 | Facility Unavailable |
| Indiana | Office $101.69 | Facility Unavailable |
| Iowa | Office $100.50 | Facility Unavailable |
| Kansas | Office $99.72 | Facility Unavailable |
| Kentucky | Office $99.11 | Facility Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office $125.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Madera | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Manhattan | Office $125.24 | Facility Unavailable |
| Merced | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | Office $126.39 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | Office $103.55 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | Office $113.14 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | Office $104.72 | Facility Unavailable |
| Miami | Office $115.00 | Facility Unavailable |
| Minnesota | Office $110.23 | Facility Unavailable |
| Mississippi | Office $96.38 | Facility Unavailable |
| Modesto | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Montana** | Office $108.88 | Facility Unavailable |
| Napa | Office $136.96 | Facility Unavailable |
| Nebraska | Office $101.16 | Facility Unavailable |
| Nevada** | Office $108.69 | Facility Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | Office $112.24 | Facility Unavailable |
| New Mexico | Office $102.01 | Facility Unavailable |
| New Orleans | Office $103.99 | Facility Unavailable |
| North Carolina | Office $102.47 | Facility Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | Office $107.89 | Facility Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | Office $124.18 | Facility Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | Office $128.04 | Facility Unavailable |
| Ohio | Office $101.35 | Facility Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | Office $99.22 | Facility Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office $124.63 | Facility Unavailable |
| Portland | Office $118.42 | Facility Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | Office $118.40 | Facility Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | Office $109.82 | Facility Unavailable |
| Queens | Office $126.73 | Facility Unavailable |
| Redding | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | Office $105.91 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | Office $99.83 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | Office $102.27 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | Office $98.83 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | Office $101.31 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | Office $110.00 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Office $113.48 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | Office $101.55 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | Office $96.86 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | Office $117.85 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | Office $104.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | Office $108.04 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | Office $101.67 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | Office $104.30 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | Office $113.36 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | Office $111.96 | Facility Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office $117.35 | Facility Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office $123.00 | Facility Unavailable |
| Salinas | Office $122.55 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office $125.75 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office $145.52 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office $145.47 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office $148.74 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office $148.51 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office $120.53 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office $127.21 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office $123.10 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office $128.52 | Facility Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Office $129.31 | Facility Unavailable |
| South Carolina | Office $102.04 | Facility Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | Office $107.78 | Facility Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | Office $107.49 | Facility Unavailable |
| Stockton | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | Office $112.66 | Facility Unavailable |
| Tennessee | Office $100.21 | Facility Unavailable |
| Utah | Office $103.51 | Facility Unavailable |
| Vallejo | Office $136.88 | Facility Unavailable |
| Vermont | Office $107.19 | Facility Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | Office $109.82 | Facility Unavailable |
| Virginia | Office $106.92 | Facility Unavailable |
| Visalia | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| West Virginia | Office $98.23 | Facility Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | Office $104.08 | Facility Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | Office $108.45 | Facility Unavailable |
| Yuba City | Office $116.80 | Facility Unavailable |
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76506 billing questions
When should 76506 be used instead of 76536?
Use 76506 for real-time imaging of intracranial structures, commonly through an infant’s fontanelle. Code 76536 describes an ultrasound examination of head and neck soft tissues, not a cranial brain study.
What do modifiers 26 and TC represent?
Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, while TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff. Report the global service without either modifier when billing both components together.
What documentation supports 76506?
Document the clinical reason for the cranial study, the examination performed, image documentation, and the interpretation. The record should make clear that the ultrasound evaluated intracranial structures.
Does 76506 describe an eye ultrasound?
No. It describes cranial imaging; eye echography codes such as 76516 address ocular structures.
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.
8,70076499,,Unlisted dx radiographic px,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,NA,0.00,0.00,0.00,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,70176499,26,Unlisted dx radiographic px,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,70276499,TC,Unlisted dx radiographic px,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,NA,0.00,0.00,0.00,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,70376506,,Echo exam of head,A,,0.61,2.60,,2.60,NA,0.05,3.26,3.26,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,3.41,3.41,0.05
8,70476506,26,Echo exam of head,A,,0.61,0.23,,0.23,,0.04,0.88,0.88,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,70576506,TC,Echo exam of head,A,,0.00,2.37,,2.37,NA,0.01,2.38,2.38,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,3.18,3.18,0.01
8,70676510,,Oph us dx b-scan&quan a-scan,A,,0.68,1.36,,1.36,NA,0.02,2.06,2.06,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,7,3,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,4.48,4.48,0.06