2025 CPT code 78832
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Radiology - Nuclear Medicine Feed
SPECT/CT scan of at least two areas or separate acquisitions in a single day, or of a single area/acquisition over multiple days, for localization of tumors, inflammation, or radiopharmaceutical distribution. Includes vascular flow and blood pool imaging.
Modifiers such as 26 (professional component) and TC (technical component) may be applicable depending on who performed which part of the service.
Medical necessity must be established for each SPECT/CT scan. The documentation should clearly demonstrate the clinical rationale for the procedure, linking it to the patient's symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment plan.
The physician administers a radiopharmaceutical, positions the patient, and operates the SPECT-CT scanner. They interpret and report the fused images showing both anatomical structures and areas of tracer uptake, localizing the tumor, inflammation, or other pathology.They oversee patient safety and ensure adequate data quality.
In simple words: This procedure uses a special type of nuclear imaging called SPECT, combined with a CT scan, to pinpoint the location of a tumor, inflammation, or radioactive tracer in the body. It can also show blood flow and areas of leaky blood vessels. The scan involves two or more body areas or two separate scans on the same day, or one area or scan over several days.
Radiopharmaceutical localization of tumor, inflammatory process or distribution of radiopharmaceutical agent(s) (includes vascular flow and blood pool imaging, when performed); tomographic (SPECT) with concurrently acquired computed tomography (CT) transmission scan for anatomical review, localization and determination/detection of pathology, minimum 2 areas (eg, pelvis and knees, chest and abdomen) or separate acquisitions (eg, lung ventilation and perfusion), single day imaging, or single area or acquisition over 2 or more days. (For cerebrospinal fluid studies that require injection procedure, see 61055, 61070, 62320, 62321, 62322, 62323)
Example 1: A patient with suspected bone cancer undergoes a SPECT/CT scan of the pelvis and knees to detect and localize bone metastases., A patient with Crohn's disease has a SPECT/CT of the chest and abdomen to evaluate the extent and activity of the disease., A patient with a suspected pulmonary embolism undergoes ventilation and perfusion SPECT/CT scans of the lungs on the same day to assess lung function and blood flow.
Documentation should include the medical indication for the scan, the radiopharmaceutical used, the areas imaged, the date(s) of the procedure(s), and the interpretation report with findings.
** The supply of the radiopharmaceutical is billed separately.For cerebrospinal fluid studies requiring injection, see other relevant codes.
- Revenue Code: I1E
- Modifier TC rule: Modifier TC can be used if only the technical component is being billed.
- Specialties:Nuclear Medicine, Radiology, Oncology
- Place of Service:Office, Independent Clinic, Outpatient Hospital, and other applicable places of service where imaging services are provided.