$192.26–$218.09
72146 is for thoracic spine MRI without contrast; 72147 is for contrast-enhanced imaging without a separate noncontrast series.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
72147 Thoracic MRI Medicare reimbursement rates in Maryland
Report this MRI when the thoracic spine is imaged using contrast-enhanced sequences without a separate noncontrast imaging series. Compare 72147 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Maryland.
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 72147 in Maryland?
Maryland has 3 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 3 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$273.98–$312.02
3 of 3 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.
Where 72147 pays more and less in Maryland
3 payment localities
$273.98 to $312.02
Radiology
About 72147: Thoracic spine MRI with contrast
Report this MRI when the thoracic spine is imaged using contrast-enhanced sequences without a separate noncontrast imaging series.
This service is an MRI examination of the thoracic spine performed with contrast, commonly injected intravenously, to assess the vertebrae, spinal canal, and cord. A radiology technologist acquires the images, and a radiologist interprets them. It may be ordered to evaluate a suspected thoracic cord lesion, tumor, infection, or other abnormality for which contrast-enhanced images are requested.
Report 72147 when the documented examination includes contrast-enhanced thoracic spine imaging without a separate noncontrast series. If both noncontrast and contrast-enhanced sequences are performed, the corresponding combined code is 72157; an examination without contrast is 72146. Documentation should identify the thoracic region, contrast use, and the imaging performed. The service may be billed globally or split between the professional interpretation (modifier 26) and technical service (modifier TC). CMS applies the diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction to both professional and technical components when applicable.
CMS billing rules for 72147
- 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
- Diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction applies to the technical and professional components.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU1.74 · 21%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.26 · 77%
- Malpractice RVU0.12 · 1%
2.4K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2329 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.
72147 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Maryland, from the same CMS release.
$321.82–$365.78
72157 applies when both noncontrast and contrast-enhanced thoracic MRI sequences are performed. 72147 covers contrast-enhanced imaging only.
$171.01–$194.36
72129 is a thoracic spine CT with contrast. Choose between it and 72147 according to the imaging modality actually performed.
Compare 72147 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.
3 of 3 payment localities
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys →
Office / nonfacility
$288.36
Facility
Unavailable
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs →
Office / nonfacility
$312.02
Facility
Unavailable
Rest Of Maryland →
Office / nonfacility
$273.98
Facility
Unavailable
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72147 billing questions
When should 72147 be selected instead of 72157?
Use 72147 when the thoracic MRI is performed with contrast only. Use 72157 when the examination includes both noncontrast and contrast-enhanced imaging.
How does 72147 differ from 72146?
72147 describes thoracic spine MRI with contrast, while 72146 describes the examination without contrast.
Can the interpretation and imaging service be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service. Billing without either modifier represents the global service.
How does the multiple procedure reduction affect this code?
CMS applies the diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction to the technical and professional components when applicable.
What should the record support for 72147?
The record should support imaging of the thoracic spine with contrast and show that the performed examination was not a combined noncontrast-and-contrast study.
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.
8,01872146,,Mri chest spine w/o dye,A,,1.44,4.16,,4.16,NA,0.10,5.70,5.70,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,7.78,7.78,0.12
8,01972146,26,Mri chest spine w/o dye,A,,1.44,0.52,,0.52,,0.08,2.04,2.04,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,02072146,TC,Mri chest spine w/o dye,A,,0.00,3.64,,3.64,NA,0.02,3.66,3.66,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,88,7.26,7.26,0.04
8,02172147,,Mri chest spine w/dye,A,,1.74,6.26,,6.26,NA,0.12,8.12,8.12,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,11.24,11.24,0.15
8,02272147,26,Mri chest spine w/dye,A,,1.74,0.63,,0.63,,0.09,2.46,2.46,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,02372147,TC,Mri chest spine w/dye,A,,0.00,5.63,,5.63,NA,0.03,5.66,5.66,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,88,10.61,10.61,0.06
8,02472148,,Mri lumbar spine w/o dye,A,,1.44,4.20,,4.20,NA,0.10,5.74,5.74,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,7.79,7.79,0.12