2025 CPT code 71045
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Diagnostic Radiology - Chest X-Ray Radiology Feed
Radiologic examination of the chest; single view.
Modifiers 26 (professional component), TC (technical component), and other relevant modifiers may apply depending on the circumstances of service provision.
Medical necessity for a chest X-ray is established by the presence of clinical symptoms or findings suggesting a condition affecting the chest, lungs, heart, or related structures.The physician must document the clinical rationale for ordering the study.
The physician's responsibility includes patient positioning, ensuring image quality, and interpretation of the resulting image. The technical component may be performed by a radiology technician.
In simple words: A chest X-ray is a diagnostic imaging test that takes a single picture of your chest to check for problems with your lungs, heart, and other structures in your chest. The doctor will position you so the X-ray beam focuses on your chest.You need to stay still during the procedure so the image isn't blurry.The X-ray machine takes a picture using radiation, and denser areas like bones show up brighter while softer areas like muscles show up darker.
This diagnostic procedure involves a single radiological view of the chest to assess conditions affecting the chest, its contents, and nearby structures.The provider positions the patient to ensure the X-ray beam focuses on the chest. The patient remains still to prevent image blurring. An X-ray machine sends radiation through the chest, and a computer or film records the image. Dense structures (bones) appear white, while softer tissues (muscles, fat) appear darker. Views may include anteroposterior, posteroanterior, lateral, or oblique views. Additional views, such as decubitus, lordotic, or expiratory views, may be performed as clinically indicated.
Example 1: A patient presents with a cough and shortness of breath. A single-view chest X-ray (71045) is ordered to rule out pneumonia or other lung pathologies., A patient with suspected rib fracture undergoes a single-view chest X-ray (71045) to visualize the rib cage and assess for fractures or other injuries., A patient with known heart conditions requires a single-view chest X-ray (71045) as part of routine monitoring to assess heart size and lung fields.
The medical record should include the indication for the chest X-ray, the views obtained, and the radiologist's interpretation of the images.All relevant clinical findings should be documented.
** This code describes a single-view chest X-ray.Multiple views may require different codes (71046, 71047, 71048).
- Revenue Code: I1A (STANDARD IMAGING - CHEST)
- RVU: Information not available in provided source.Refer to current CMS fee schedules for RVU data.
- Global Days : Not applicable to this diagnostic imaging code.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: Modifier TC may apply if only the technical component of the service is billed.
- Fee Schedule : Information not available in provided source. Refer to historical CMS fee schedules for this code.
- Specialties:Radiology, Pulmonary Medicine, Cardiology, Emergency Medicine
- Place of Service:Office, Hospital (Inpatient and Outpatient), Urgent Care Facility, Emergency Room - Hospital,Ambulatory Surgical Center