CPT code 77078: CT bone density2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Reports CT-based quantitative bone-density assessment of the axial skeleton, commonly used to evaluate osteoporosis when a CT method is selected.
Medicare pays $86.40–$94.54 for 77078 in the office in Missouri, from Rest Of Missouri to Metropolitan St. Louis. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
On this page 9 sections
What 77078 covers
This service uses computed tomography and quantitative analysis to assess bone mineral density at one or more axial-skeleton sites, commonly the spine. It is used in osteoporosis evaluation and may be selected when spinal degenerative changes could complicate interpretation of a DXA measurement. A technologist typically acquires the images, and a qualified practitioner interprets the study and reports the findings in an imaging or outpatient setting.
Report 77078 for the CT bone-density study of the axial skeleton, not for DXA or a peripheral-site study. Documentation should identify the axial site examined, the CT-based measurement method, and the interpretation. CMS recognizes separate professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff portion, and billing without either modifier represents the global service.
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.
Where 77078 pays more and less in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$86.40 to $94.54
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $93.35 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $94.54 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | $86.40 | Unavailable |
How the 77078 rate is calculated
Each of 77078’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.
How the rate is built · 77078
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.24
0.24 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.70
2.70 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
2.9600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$98.87
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 77078
The CMS indicators that decide how 77078 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 77078
CT bone density
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
77078 without 26 · national office
$98.87
CT bone density
77078-26 · Professional component
$11.36
Pays only the interpretation and report.
77078 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 77080DXA bone density scan
- Both assess axial bone density, but 77078 is CT-based and 77080 is DXA-based. Select the code for the method actually performed.
- 77085DXA bone density
- 77085 reports axial DXA with vertebral fracture assessment. 77078 reports CT-based axial bone-density measurement.
- 77081Bone density
- 77081 is for DXA assessment of the appendicular skeleton, while 77078 is for CT-based assessment of the axial skeleton.
77078 billing questions
How does 77078 differ from 77080?
77078 is a CT-based bone-density study of the axial skeleton. 77080 reports axial bone-density measurement by DXA.
Which modifier identifies the interpretation?
Append modifier 26 for the professional interpretation. Modifier TC identifies the technical portion, including equipment and staff.
What does billing 77078 without a modifier represent?
An unmodified claim represents the global service, including both the technical and professional components.
What documentation supports reporting 77078?
The record should identify the axial site assessed, establish that the study used CT-based quantitative bone-density measurement, and include the interpreted findings.
Can 77078 be used for a peripheral bone-density site?
No. This code is for axial-skeleton assessment; 77081 is the DXA code for an appendicular-skeleton 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 indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.
CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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