78231 Salivary imaging Medicare reimbursement rates in Maine

This nuclear medicine study obtains sequential images of the salivary glands after administration of a radioactive tracer. The images show how tracer reaches and moves through the glands over time. A nuclear medicine technologist typically performs the acquisition in a hospital imaging department or outpatient nuclear medicine center; a physician, often a radiologist or nuclear medicine physician, interprets the study. The ordering clinician may use it when evaluating suspected salivary gland dysfunction or an abnormality affecting tracer uptake or passage.

Report 78231 when the performed service includes serial salivary gland images, rather than a nonserial imaging service or a separately defined function study. The record should identify the clinical indication, tracer administration, imaging sequence, and the physician’s interpretation. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the interpretation, modifier TC for the equipment and staff, or neither modifier when billing the global service. CMS separately prices the 26 and TC components.