2025 CPT code 78835

Radiopharmaceutical quantification measurement(s), single area.

This code should be reported in addition to the primary procedure code. Multiple units may be reported if quantitation is performed in more than one area or on more than one day of imaging. Modifiers 26 and TC may be applicable depending on who performs and interprets the service.

Modifiers 26 (Professional Component) and TC (Technical Component) may be applicable. Modifier 26 is used if only the professional component (interpretation) is being billed. Modifier TC is used if only the technical component (performance of the procedure) is being billed.

Medical necessity must be established for both the primary nuclear medicine procedure and the radiopharmaceutical quantification. The quantification should provide additional information that is clinically relevant to the patient's diagnosis or treatment.

The physician performs the necessary steps to measure the amount of the radiopharmaceutical agent in a single area during a nuclear imaging procedure. This is in addition to detecting the distribution of the agent, which may be part of the primary procedure.

IMPORTANT (Use 78835 in conjunction with 78830, 78832) (Report multiple units of 78835 if quantitation is more than 1 area or more than 1 day imaging) (Report myocardial SPECT imaging with 78451, 78452, 78469, 78494) (For all nuclear medicine codes, select the organ/system-specific code(s) first; if there is no organ/system-specific code(s), see 78800, 78801, 78802, 78803, 78830, 78831, 78832) (For parathyroid imaging, see 78070, 78071, 78072)

In simple words: This code is used when a doctor measures the amount of a radioactive medicine in one area of your body during a nuclear imaging scan.It's billed along with the code for the main scan.

This code reports the quantification measurement of a radiopharmaceutical agent in a single area. It is used in addition to the primary procedure code when the provider measures the amount of the radiopharmaceutical, as opposed to just assessing its distribution.

Example 1: A patient undergoes a lung scan to assess for pulmonary embolism. In addition to evaluating the distribution of the radiopharmaceutical, the physician quantifies the uptake in a specific area of the lung to further evaluate a suspicious finding., During a bone scan, the physician quantifies the uptake of the radiopharmaceutical in a specific area of the spine to assess the severity of a suspected fracture., A patient with thyroid cancer undergoes a whole-body scan.The physician quantifies the radiopharmaceutical uptake in a suspicious nodule found in the thyroid bed.

Documentation should include the primary procedure performed, the specific area where the radiopharmaceutical quantification was performed, and the results of the measurement.

  • Revenue Code: I1E
  • Specialties:Nuclear Medicine, Radiology
  • Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Independent Clinic, Physician's Office
** Only Enterprise users with EHR integration can access case-specific answers. Click here to request access.