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CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01

78494 in Merced

Office / nonfacility

$226.61

Base rate per service

Facility setting

Not available in this setting

Base rate per service

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.

Nuclear cardiology

About 78494: Gated cardiac blood-pool SPECT

Reports ECG-gated SPECT imaging of the cardiac blood pool to assess ventricular function and wall motion rather than myocardial perfusion.

This study uses a radiotracer in the circulating blood and ECG gating to create tomographic images of the heart across the cardiac cycle. It helps assess ventricular function and wall motion, including left ventricular function monitoring in patients receiving potentially cardiotoxic chemotherapy. Nuclear medicine physicians or other qualified imaging professionals typically perform and interpret the study in hospital or outpatient imaging settings. Unlike myocardial perfusion SPECT, it images the blood pool rather than tracer uptake in heart muscle.

Report 78494 when the documented acquisition is gated equilibrium cardiac blood-pool SPECT. The record should support the cardiac indication, the SPECT blood-pool technique, and the physician’s interpretation. The code has professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies interpretation, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and no component modifier represents the global service. CMS applies the cardiovascular diagnostic multiple-procedure reduction to the technical component when the rule applies; it does not reduce the professional component under this rule.

CMS billing rules for 78494

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.
Multiple procedures
Cardiovascular diagnostic multiple procedure reduction applies to the technical component.

Where the value comes from

  • Work RVU1.16 · 18%
  • Practice expense (office) RVU5.07 · 80%
  • Malpractice RVU0.09 · 1%

324

Medicare services in 2024 · #3937 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.

78494 compared with similar codes

Office rates for Merced, from the same CMS release.

78472

Cardiac blood-pool imaging

Single planar equilibrium study

$223.30

Choose 78494 for gated equilibrium cardiac blood-pool SPECT. Choose 78472 when the corresponding single-study acquisition is planar.

78481

Cardiac function imaging

Single first-pass study

$174.44

78481 describes first-pass blood-pool imaging. 78494 is for gated equilibrium blood-pool SPECT.

78451

Cardiac SPECT

Single rest or stress study

$335.75

78451 evaluates myocardial perfusion with SPECT for a single study. 78494 images the cardiac blood pool to assess ventricular function and wall motion.

78452

Nuclear stress test

SPECT, multiple perfusion studies

$462.34

78452 is multiple-study myocardial perfusion SPECT, not gated equilibrium blood-pool SPECT.

The same code, a different location

How does Merced compare?

In Bakersfield, the office rate for 78494 is $226.91—$0.30 higher than the $226.61 rate in Merced. Both use the same code, release and participation basis.

78494 across payment areas

Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0

  1. Merced · This locality

    $226.61

  2. $0.30 higher than Merced

  3. Chico

    $226.61

    The same base rate than Merced

  4. El Centro

    $226.63

    $0.02 higher than Merced

  5. Fresno

    $226.61

    The same base rate than Merced

  6. The same base rate than Merced

  7. $16.05 higher than Merced

Other payment areas listed in California appear first, followed by selected cross-country examples. The chart compares amounts, not distance.

Across 109 of 109 CMS payment localities with a supported office rate, 78494 ranges from $185.76 in Arkansas to $288.81 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty). This is a geographic range, not an average.

The code’s RVUs stay the same in these comparisons. Geographic adjustments to work, practice expense and malpractice change the dollar amount. A city name alone may not identify the payment area for a service address.

Compare all 108 other payment areas
  • Madera

    California · 78494

    Office

    $226.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Modesto

    California · 78494

    Office

    $226.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Napa

    California · 78494

    Office

    $265.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $39.30 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura

    California · 78494

    Office

    $241.87

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $15.26 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Redding

    California · 78494

    Office

    $226.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of California

    California · 78494

    Office

    $226.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

    California · 78494

    Office

    $227.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.00 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom

    California · 78494

    Office

    $238.70

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $12.09 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Salinas

    California · 78494

    Office

    $237.83

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $11.22 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad

    California · 78494

    Office

    $244.07

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $17.46 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)

    California · 78494

    Office

    $282.58

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $55.97 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)

    California · 78494

    Office

    $282.48

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $55.87 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)

    California · 78494

    Office

    $288.81

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $62.20 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)

    California · 78494

    Office

    $288.39

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $61.78 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

    California · 78494

    Office

    $233.90

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $7.29 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Santa Cruz-Watsonville

    California · 78494

    Office

    $246.92

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $20.31 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

    California · 78494

    Office

    $238.89

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $12.28 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Santa Rosa-Petaluma

    California · 78494

    Office

    $249.47

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $22.86 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Stockton

    California · 78494

    Office

    $226.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Vallejo

    California · 78494

    Office

    $265.76

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $39.15 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Visalia

    California · 78494

    Office

    $226.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Yuba City

    California · 78494

    Office

    $226.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Dc + Md/Va Suburbs

    District of Columbia · 78494

    Office

    $243.67

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $17.06 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Miami

    Florida · 78494

    Office

    $222.63

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.98 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Chicago

    Illinois · 78494

    Office

    $216.10

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $10.51 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Manhattan

    New York · 78494

    Office

    $242.77

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $16.16 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Alaska*

    Alaska · 78494

    Office

    $240.12

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $13.51 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Alabama

    Alabama · 78494

    Office

    $188.62

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $37.99 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Arkansas

    Arkansas · 78494

    Office

    $185.76

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $40.85 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Arizona

    Arizona · 78494

    Office

    $205.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $21.20 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Colorado

    Colorado · 78494

    Office

    $221.74

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $4.87 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Connecticut

    Connecticut · 78494

    Office

    $225.54

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.07 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Delaware

    Delaware · 78494

    Office

    $208.95

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $17.66 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Fort Lauderdale

    Florida · 78494

    Office

    $215.72

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $10.89 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Florida

    Florida · 78494

    Office

    $205.15

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $21.46 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Atlanta

    Georgia · 78494

    Office

    $214.52

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $12.09 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Georgia

    Georgia · 78494

    Office

    $193.38

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $33.23 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Hawaii, Guam

    Hawaii · 78494

    Office

    $233.03

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.42 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Iowa

    Iowa · 78494

    Office

    $194.89

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $31.72 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Idaho

    Idaho · 78494

    Office

    $195.96

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $30.65 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • East St. Louis

    Illinois · 78494

    Office

    $200.59

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $26.02 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Illinois

    Illinois · 78494

    Office

    $198.05

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $28.56 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Suburban Chicago

    Illinois · 78494

    Office

    $218.26

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $8.35 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Indiana

    Indiana · 78494

    Office

    $197.19

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $29.42 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Kansas

    Kansas · 78494

    Office

    $193.35

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $33.26 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Kentucky

    Kentucky · 78494

    Office

    $192.04

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $34.57 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • New Orleans

    Louisiana · 78494

    Office

    $201.51

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $25.10 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Louisiana

    Louisiana · 78494

    Office

    $191.49

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $35.12 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Boston

    Massachusetts · 78494

    Office

    $245.20

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $18.59 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Massachusetts

    Massachusetts · 78494

    Office

    $220.08

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.53 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Baltimore/Surr. Cntys

    Maryland · 78494

    Office

    $224.79

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.82 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maryland

    Maryland · 78494

    Office

    $213.27

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $13.34 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maine

    Maine · 78494

    Office

    $196.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $30.20 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Southern Maine

    Maine · 78494

    Office

    $208.46

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $18.15 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Detroit

    Michigan · 78494

    Office

    $207.23

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $19.38 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Michigan

    Michigan · 78494

    Office

    $196.75

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $29.86 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Minnesota

    Minnesota · 78494

    Office

    $213.89

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $12.72 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Kansas City

    Missouri · 78494

    Office

    $200.69

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $25.92 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan St. Louis

    Missouri · 78494

    Office

    $202.97

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $23.64 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Missouri

    Missouri · 78494

    Office

    $187.65

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $38.96 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi · 78494

    Office

    $186.77

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $39.84 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Montana**

    Montana · 78494

    Office

    $211.09

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $15.52 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • North Carolina

    North Carolina · 78494

    Office

    $198.66

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $27.95 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • North Dakota**

    North Dakota · 78494

    Office

    $209.31

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $17.30 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Nebraska

    Nebraska · 78494

    Office

    $196.18

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $30.43 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • New Hampshire

    New Hampshire · 78494

    Office

    $217.66

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $8.95 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Northern Nj

    New Jersey · 78494

    Office

    $240.83

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $14.22 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New Jersey

    New Jersey · 78494

    Office

    $228.51

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.90 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • New Mexico

    New Mexico · 78494

    Office

    $197.64

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $28.97 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Nevada**

    Nevada · 78494

    Office

    $210.76

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $15.85 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Nyc Suburbs/Long Island

    New York · 78494

    Office

    $248.16

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $21.55 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs

    New York · 78494

    Office

    $229.56

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.95 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Queens

    New York · 78494

    Office

    $245.72

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $19.11 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New York

    New York · 78494

    Office

    $201.73

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $24.88 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Ohio

    Ohio · 78494

    Office

    $196.38

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $30.23 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Oklahoma

    Oklahoma · 78494

    Office

    $192.30

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $34.31 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Portland

    Oregon · 78494

    Office

    $229.74

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.13 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Oregon

    Oregon · 78494

    Office

    $209.52

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $17.09 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Philadelphia

    Pennsylvania · 78494

    Office

    $219.31

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $7.30 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania · 78494

    Office

    $197.04

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $29.57 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Puerto Rico

    Puerto Rico · 78494

    Office

    $212.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $13.70 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rhode Island

    Rhode Island · 78494

    Office

    $217.09

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $9.52 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • South Carolina

    South Carolina · 78494

    Office

    $197.77

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $28.84 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • South Dakota**

    South Dakota · 78494

    Office

    $209.10

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $17.51 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Tennessee

    Tennessee · 78494

    Office

    $194.29

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $32.32 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Austin

    Texas · 78494

    Office

    $220.65

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $5.96 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Beaumont

    Texas · 78494

    Office

    $195.64

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $30.97 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Brazoria

    Texas · 78494

    Office

    $209.22

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $17.39 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Dallas

    Texas · 78494

    Office

    $210.34

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $16.27 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Fort Worth

    Texas · 78494

    Office

    $208.68

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $17.93 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Galveston

    Texas · 78494

    Office

    $209.70

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $16.91 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Houston

    Texas · 78494

    Office

    $211.35

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $15.26 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Texas

    Texas · 78494

    Office

    $202.17

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $24.44 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Utah

    Utah · 78494

    Office

    $200.63

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $25.98 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Virginia

    Virginia · 78494

    Office

    $207.33

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $19.28 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Virgin Islands

    United States Virgin Islands · 78494

    Office

    $212.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $13.70 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Vermont

    Vermont · 78494

    Office

    $207.92

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $18.69 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Washington

    Washington · 78494

    Office

    $219.85

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.76 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Seattle (King Cnty)

    Washington · 78494

    Office

    $250.92

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $24.31 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Wisconsin

    Wisconsin · 78494

    Office

    $201.90

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $24.71 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • West Virginia

    West Virginia · 78494

    Office

    $190.21

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $36.40 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Wyoming**

    Wyoming · 78494

    Office

    $210.31

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $16.30 lower than Merced for the office setting.

See how rates vary across the country

78494 · 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.

$185.76

$257.71

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View all state and territory rates as a table
State / territoryRate rangeLocalities
AK$240.121
AL$188.621
AR$185.761
AZ$205.411
CA$226.61–$288.8129
CO$221.741
CT$225.541
DC$243.671
DE$208.951
FL$205.15–$222.633
GA$193.38–$214.522
GU$233.031
HI$233.031
IA$194.891
ID$195.961
IL$198.05–$218.264
IN$197.191
KS$193.351
KY$192.041
LA$191.49–$201.512
MA$220.08–$245.202
MD$213.27–$243.673
ME$196.41–$208.462
MI$196.75–$207.232
MN$213.891
MO$187.65–$202.973
MS$186.771
MT$211.091
NC$198.661
ND$209.311
NE$196.181
NH$217.661
NJ$228.51–$240.832
NM$197.641
NV$210.761
NY$201.73–$248.165
OH$196.381
OK$192.301
OR$209.52–$229.742
PA$197.04–$219.312
PR$212.911
RI$217.091
SC$197.771
SD$209.101
TN$194.291
TX$195.64–$220.658
UT$200.631
VA$207.33–$243.672
VI$212.911
VT$207.921
WA$219.85–$250.922
WI$201.901
WV$190.211
WY$210.311

Explore 78494 on the national rate map →

Where does this rate apply?

Merced is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 24 cities and communities in California, including the examples shown here.

Some communities span more than one payment area. Follow a city link to compare all of its mapped areas, or check the service-location ZIP above for an address-level starting point.

Use this rate

What is a percentage of Medicare worth?

Turn a percentage into dollars for 78494 in Merced. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.

Reference amount per service

$249.27

$226.61 × 110% = $249.27

A contract may specify another Medicare year or additional adjustments. This is percentage arithmetic on the displayed base rate, not a claim adjudication.

Working with a whole code list?

Compare an offer across your annual code mix, including an older Medicare schedule or flat per-code rates.

Compare your contract offer →

How this local rate is calculated

Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 78494 in Merced.

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

9,416

Code
78494
Physician work
1.16
Practice expense
5.07
Malpractice
0.09

GPCI2026.csv

15

Locality
Merced
Physician work
1.017
Practice expense
1.096
Malpractice
0.536
Office / nonfacility calculation for 78494 in Merced
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work1.16× 1.0171.1797
Practice expense5.07× 1.0965.5567
Malpractice0.09× 0.5360.0482
Total RVUs6.7847
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office / nonfacility rate, Merced$226.61

Values as parsed from CMS release RVU26D, effective 2026-10-01. The amount is rounded to the nearest cent only at the end.

Open 78494 in the RVU calculator →

Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula

Office / nonfacility

Office / nonfacility calculation inputs
ComponentRVULocal GPCI
Work1.161.017
Practice expense5.071.096
Malpractice0.090.536

(1.16 × 1.017 + 5.07 × 1.096 + 0.09 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $226.61

The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.

How this rate has changed

78494 · Office / nonfacility

$226.61

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $9.36 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $217.25 to $226.61 (4.3%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $217.25changed to$226.61

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 1.19 changed to 1.16
    • Practice expense RVU 5.00 changed to 5.07
    • Malpractice RVU 0.08 changed to 0.09
    • Work GPCI 1.014 changed to 1.017
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.093 changed to 1.096
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.560 changed to 0.536

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    Earliest loaded release: $217.25

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

Explore release dates and calculate this code in an earlier period →

Each row uses the accepted CMS release effective on that date and the same contractor and locality identifiers. Missing rates stay visible. Historical boundaries may differ; verify the service address for an older claim.

Inspect every release and its CMS source
Effective fromOffice / nonfacilityFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$226.61Not available in this settingRVU26D
2026-07-01$226.61Not available in this settingRVU26C
2026-04-01$226.61Not available in this settingRVU26B
2026-01-01$226.61Not available in this settingRVU26A
2025-10-01$217.25Not available in this settingRVU25D
2025-07-01$217.25Not available in this settingRVU25C
2025-04-01$217.25Not available in this settingRVU25B
2025-01-01$217.25Not available in this settingRVU25A

78494 billing questions

How does 78494 differ from 78472?

78494 is for gated equilibrium SPECT blood-pool imaging. 78472 is the planar version for a single study.

Is this a myocardial perfusion study?

No. It images the cardiac blood pool to evaluate ventricular function and wall motion. Codes 78451 and 78452 describe myocardial perfusion SPECT.

When should modifier 26 or TC be used?

Use modifier 26 for the physician’s interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service. Report without either modifier when billing the global service.

Which part is subject to the multiple-procedure reduction?

CMS applies the cardiovascular diagnostic multiple-procedure reduction to the technical component. The stated reduction rule does not apply to the professional component.

What documentation supports reporting 78494?

Document the indication, gated equilibrium blood-pool SPECT technique, and interpretation. The record should distinguish this acquisition from planar or first-pass imaging.

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.

RVUs for 78494PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 9,416 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for MercedGPCI2026.csv, line 15 (RVU26D)