CPT code 72125: Cervical spine CT2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Oklahoma
Noncontrast computed tomography of the cervical spine is reported to evaluate suspected fracture after neck trauma or assess bony narrowing and spinal hardware.
Medicare pays $119.85 for 72125 in the office in Oklahoma (Oklahoma). 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 72125 covers
Noncontrast cervical spine CT images the cervical vertebrae and surrounding bony structures with thin axial sections and routine sagittal and coronal reformats. Radiologists interpret these studies, commonly obtained in emergency departments after falls or motor vehicle collisions to assess acute fracture or alignment. Outpatient imaging centers also perform the exam to characterize bony canal or foraminal narrowing, evaluate a known fracture, or assess spinal fusion and hardware. The study is performed without IV contrast or intrathecal contrast in the spinal fluid.
Report 72125 for a noncontrast cervical spine CT; document the indication, scanned region, technique, and signed interpretation. Routine two-dimensional reformats are included. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation; modifier TC identifies the scanner and technologist. An unmodified claim represents both components. For hospital and emergency department exams, the radiologist generally reports modifier 26 while the hospital bills its technical service; a freestanding center bills globally only if it furnishes both components. The diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction can affect both components when additional qualifying imaging services are furnished to the same patient on the same date.
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.
72125 in Oklahoma
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $119.85 | Unavailable |
How the 72125 rate is calculated
Each of 72125’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 · 72125
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.98
0.98 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.86
2.86 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.07
0.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
3.9100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$130.60
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 72125
The CMS indicators that decide how 72125 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 72125
Cervical spine CT
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 4 | Diagnostic imaging reduction applies to the technical component (and professional component) of additional services. |
| 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
72125 without 26 · national office
$130.60
Cervical spine CT
72125-26 · Professional component
$46.43
Pays only the interpretation and report.
72125 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 72126CT spine
- Use 72126 when IV contrast is given or the scan follows intrathecal contrast for myelography; 72125 applies when no contrast is present during cervical spine CT.
- 72127Cervical spine CT
- 72127 requires a noncontrast series followed by a contrast series in the same session; a single noncontrast acquisition is 72125.
- 72141Cervical MRI
- 72141 is a cervical MRI without contrast, chosen for cord, ligament, and disc evaluation; 72125 is CT, chosen for bony detail and acute trauma.
- 72040Cervical spine X-ray
- 72040 is a plain radiograph series of the cervical spine; a diagnostic noncontrast cervical spine CT is 72125.
72125 billing questions
Should a CT myelogram of the cervical spine be reported with this code?
No. Because intrathecal contrast is present during the scan, CT after myelography is reported with the with-contrast code 72126, not 72125.
Can sagittal and coronal reformats be billed separately?
No. Routine two-dimensional multiplanar reformats are included in the cervical spine CT and are not separately reportable.
Which modifier does the radiologist use for a hospital or ED study?
The radiologist appends modifier 26 for the interpretation, and the hospital reports the technical portion on its facility claim. Billing without a modifier represents both components furnished by the same entity.
A trauma patient has CT head and CT cervical spine in the same visit. Are both billable?
Yes, report both when each study is performed and documented. The diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction can affect both professional and technical components when its criteria are met.
If the cervical and thoracic spine are both scanned without contrast, what is reported?
Report 72125 for the cervical region and 72128 for the thoracic region, with documentation supporting each study. The diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction applies when its criteria are met.
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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