2025 CPT code 78300
Effective Date: N/A Radiology - Nuclear Medicine Feed
Bone and/or joint imaging; limited area
Modifiers 26 and TC are applicable. Modifier 26 is used if only the professional component (interpretation) is being billed. Modifier TC is used if only the technical component (imaging) is being billed.
Medical necessity for this procedure must be established by demonstrating a clinically reasonable suspicion of a bone or joint abnormality that requires imaging for diagnosis or management.
In simple words: A bone scan is performed where a radioactive material is injected into your vein. After a few hours, a special camera takes pictures of a specific area of your bones or joints. This helps doctors see if there are any problems like fractures, infections, or cancer.
This code represents a nuclear medicine procedure where a radionuclide (tracer) is injected into a vein. After a period of 4-6 hours, imaging is performed on a limited area, such as a single bone or joint, to examine the skeletal system for diseases or abnormalities. This procedure is often used to diagnose fractures, osteomyelitis, or metastatic bone disease.
Example 1: A 25-year-old athlete presents with persistent ankle pain after a twisting injury. A limited bone scan of the ankle is performed (78300) to evaluate for a stress fracture., A 60-year-old female with breast cancer undergoes a limited bone scan of the spine (78300) to assess for possible metastasis., A 10-year-old child with suspected osteomyelitis in the right tibia undergoes a limited bone scan of the affected area (78300) for confirmation of the diagnosis.
The documentation should include the clinical indication for the bone scan, the area imaged (e.g., ankle, spine), the radiopharmaceutical used, and the interpretation of the findings.
- Specialties:Nuclear Medicine, Radiology, Orthopedics, Oncology
- Place of Service:Office, Outpatient Hospital, Independent Clinic, Mobile Unit