$177.94–$190.30
Use 78601 when flow imaging is accompanied by fewer than four views of static brain images; 78610 represents flow imaging alone.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
78610 Brain flow scan Medicare reimbursement rates in Maine
Reports a nuclear medicine study that records cerebral tracer flow without the static brain images included in view-based brain imaging codes. Compare 78610 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Maine.
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 78610 in Maine?
Maine has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$144.30–$154.61
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
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.
Nuclear medicine
About 78610: Cerebral blood-flow nuclear imaging
Reports a nuclear medicine study that records cerebral tracer flow without the static brain images included in view-based brain imaging codes.
This nuclear medicine study records the passage of a radiotracer through the cerebral circulation, without the additional static brain images represented by view-based brain imaging codes. It may be used to assess cerebral perfusion, including as an ancillary study in suspected brain death. A nuclear medicine technologist performs the acquisition under the direction of a physician, commonly in a hospital imaging department; a qualified physician interprets the study.
Report 78610 when the performed service is limited to brain-flow imaging. The record should support the clinical indication and identify the tracer study and flow acquisition performed. When static brain images are also obtained, choose the applicable code for flow imaging with brain images, using the documented view count. CMS recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: append modifier 26 for the physician’s interpretation or modifier TC for the equipment and staff. Report the global service without either modifier when billing both components.
CMS billing rules for 78610
- 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 RVU0.29 · 6%
- Practice expense (office) RVU4.34 · 93%
- Malpractice RVU0.06 · 1%
209
Medicare services in 2024 · #4287 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.
78610 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Maine, from the same CMS release.
$265.74–$284.55
Use 78606 when flow imaging is accompanied by four or more views of static brain images. The additional static imaging distinguishes it from 78610.
$153.89–$164.58
78600 reports static brain imaging with fewer than four views and no flow acquisition; 78610 is selected for flow imaging alone.
$165.71–$177.06
78605 reports static brain imaging with four or more views and no flow acquisition; 78610 represents flow imaging alone.
Compare 78610 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.
2 of 2 payment localities
Rest Of Maine →
Office / nonfacility
$144.30
Facility
Unavailable
Southern Maine →
Office / nonfacility
$154.61
Facility
Unavailable
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78610 billing questions
How does 78610 differ from 78601 or 78606?
78610 is for flow imaging alone. Use 78601 or 78606 when the study also includes static brain images; the view count distinguishes those codes.
Can the professional and technical services be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service. Report the unmodified code for the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 78610?
The record should show the clinical indication and that cerebral tracer-flow imaging was performed without static brain imaging.
Is 78610 reported per view or per image?
The code represents the flow-only study, not a per-view or per-image unit. View count is relevant when static brain imaging is included.
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.
9,45878609,,Brain imaging (pet),N,+,1.46,0.64,,0.64,NA,0.04,2.14,2.14,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,45978609,26,Brain imaging (pet),N,+,1.46,0.64,,0.64,,0.04,2.14,2.14,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,46078609,TC,Brain imaging (pet),N,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,NA,0.00,0.00,0.00,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,46178610,,Brain flow imaging only,A,,0.29,4.34,,4.34,NA,0.06,4.69,4.69,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,16.55,16.55,0.18
9,46278610,26,Brain flow imaging only,A,,0.29,0.10,,0.10,,0.02,0.41,0.41,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,46378610,TC,Brain flow imaging only,A,,0.00,4.24,,4.24,NA,0.04,4.28,4.28,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,16.45,16.45,0.16
9,46478630,,Cerebrospinal fluid scan,A,,0.66,8.06,,8.06,NA,0.10,8.82,8.82,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,16.70,16.70,0.17