2025 CPT code 78453
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Diagnostic Imaging - Nuclear Medicine Procedures Radiology Feed
Myocardial perfusion imaging, planar; single study, at rest or stress.
Modifiers such as 26 (professional component), TC (technical component), and others (e.g., 59 for distinct procedural service) may be applicable depending on the circumstances of service delivery.Consult current coding guidelines.
Medical necessity for 78453 is established based on the patient's clinical presentation, symptoms (e.g., chest pain, shortness of breath), risk factors for coronary artery disease, and the need to assess myocardial perfusion and function to guide treatment decisions.
A nuclear medicine physician or other qualified healthcare professional administers the radiopharmaceutical, acquires images, and interprets the results to assess myocardial perfusion and function.In some settings, a technologist may assist in the acquisition of images under the supervision of a physician.
In simple words: This heart imaging test uses a small amount of radioactive material and a special camera to take pictures of your heart's blood flow.The test helps doctors see if there are any areas of your heart not getting enough blood. The test is done either while you are resting or while exercising or taking medicine to increase your heart rate.
Myocardial perfusion imaging, planar (including qualitative or quantitative wall motion, ejection fraction by first pass or gated technique, additional quantification, when performed); single study, at rest or stress (exercise or pharmacologic). This non-invasive test uses a radioactive tracer and a planar imaging technique to assess blood flow to the heart muscle.It helps identify areas with reduced blood supply, which can indicate coronary artery disease or other heart conditions. The study may be performed at rest or during stress induced by exercise or pharmacologic agents.
Example 1: A 60-year-old male patient presents with chest pain and shortness of breath. A myocardial perfusion imaging study using code 78453 is performed to evaluate for coronary artery disease. The study is performed during stress, induced by exercise on a treadmill., A 72-year-old female with known coronary artery disease requires a resting myocardial perfusion imaging study (78453) to assess the effectiveness of her current medical therapy. The study is performed at rest using a planar imaging technique., A 55-year-old patient scheduled for coronary artery bypass surgery undergoes pre-operative myocardial perfusion imaging (78453) to map areas of reduced blood flow, aiding surgical planning.The study is done with pharmacological stress (e.g., dipyridamole).
* Patient history including symptoms, risk factors for coronary artery disease, and any relevant medical conditions.* Medication list, including any medications that might affect the study results.* Images from the myocardial perfusion imaging study.* Physician interpretation report detailing findings, including areas of reduced blood flow and assessment of myocardial perfusion.* Report may include ejection fraction measurement (via first pass or gated technique) or other quantitative measures.
** The short description and long description are based on consensus from multiple sources. Always refer to the official CPT codebook for the most up-to-date definition and coding guidelines.Ensure proper documentation supports medical necessity and accurate coding.
- Revenue Code: I1E (STANDARD IMAGING - NUCLEAR MEDICINE)
- RVU: This information varies based on location, payer, and other factors. Consult your local fee schedule.
- Global Days: This is a single-procedure code, not subject to global surgical day rules.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: Modifier TC may be appended if only the technical component of the service is reported.Hospital billing practices often differ in how the TC modifier is applied. Refer to payer policies.
- Fee Schedule: Historical fee schedule information is not readily available in this context.Consult fee schedules from your specific payer and geographic area.
- Specialties:Cardiology, Nuclear Medicine, Radiology
- Place of Service:Office, Hospital (Inpatient or Outpatient), Ambulatory Surgical Center, etc.