Top radiology CPT codes at imaging centers

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Radiologists are a vital part of acute and chronic care teams. These physicians use medical imaging technology—such as x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds—to diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses in patients.

What are the types of imaging procedures?

Radiology procedures are performed using one or more medical imaging machines, depending on what part of the body or type of diagnostics is needed. Some of the most common procedures include images and/or scans from:

Which CPT codes are used for radiology procedures?

Imaging procedures are captured through the current procedural terminology (CPT) code set, with the radiology CPT code range consisting of codes 70010 to 79999. These codes further break down into the following categories and code ranges:

  • Diagnostic imaging: 70010-76499
  • Diagnostic ultrasound: 76506-76999
  • Radiologic guidance: 77001-77032
  • Breast mammography: 77046-77067
  • Bone/joint studies: 77071-77092
  • Radiation oncology: 77261-77799
  • Nuclear medicine: 78000-79999

Using procedure data from the Definitive Healthcare Atlas All-Payor Claims and ImagingView products, we compiled a list of the top radiology CPT procedure codes performed at imaging centers in the U.S. Claims for 2023 through November are used for the analysis.

Top 20 radiology CPT procedure codes

RankCPT codeCPT code description% of radiology procedures at imaging centers
177067SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY BI 2-VIEW BREAST INC CAD9.2%
277063SCREENING DIGITAL BREAST TOMOSYNTHESIS BI8.0%
371046RADIOLOGIC EXAM CHEST 2 VIEWS6.2%
471045RADIOLOGIC EXAM CHEST SINGLE VIEW4.9%
577080DXA BONE DENSITY STUDY 1/> SITES AXIAL SKEL2.6%
672148MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL2.3%
773721MRI ANY JT LOWER EXTREM W/O CONTRAST MATRL2.0%
876700US ABDOMINAL REAL TIME W/IMAGE DOCUMENTATION1.9%
974177CT ABDOMEN & PELVIS W/CONTRAST MATERIAL1.9%
1073030RADEX SHOULDER COMPLETE MINIMUM 2 VIEWS1.8%
1176641US BREAST UNI REAL TIME WITH IMAGE COMPLETE1.8%
1272100RADEX SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2/3 VIEWS1.7%
1373630RADEX FOOT COMPLETE MINIMUM 3 VIEWS1.6%
1470450CT HEAD/BRAIN W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL1.6%
1576830US TRANSVAGINAL1.5%
1674018RADIOLOGIC EXAM ABDOMEN 1 VIEW1.5%
1776536US SOFT TISSUE HEAD & NECK REAL TIME IMGE DOCM1.5%
1876856US PELVIC NONOBSTETRIC REAL-TIME IMAGE COMPLETE1.5%
1973502RADEX HIP UNILATERAL WITH PELVIS 2-3 VIEWS1.4%
2073562RADIOLOGIC EXAMINATION KNEE 3 VIEWS1.3%

Fig 1. Data from Definitive Healthcare Atlas All-Payor Claims and ImagingView products. Claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States and updated monthly. Accessed January 2024.

What is the most common radiology CPT code?

CPT code 77067 - screening mammography, bilateral had the most procedures at imaging centers in 2023 through November. In the second spot was an additional breast examine, CPT code 77063 - screening digital breast tomosynthesis, bilateral, which is an advanced type of mammography. These procedures are used to screen patients for breast cancer.

The next two top imaging procedures are chest x-rays, CPT codes 71046 and 71045, often used to diagnose respiratory conditions and/or viruses. Additional common radiology procedures include bone density studies, MRIs of the spinal canal and abdomen, abdomen and pelvis CT scans, and shoulder x-rays.

What is the difference between diagnostic radiology and interventional radiology?

Diagnostic radiology uses medical imaging technology to help determine the cause of patient symptoms. These scans are non-invasive and help physicians see inside a patient’s body without surgery. For example, a patient with pain in their lower abdomen might undergo a CT of their middle body to determine if their appendix is inflamed.

Interventional radiology, on the other hand, uses medical imaging to assist physicians in performing minimally invasive surgeries. These types of procedures allow for smaller and/or fewer incisions, which helps patients recover more quickly. If the patient with abdominal pain had appendicitis, a surgeon could use small cameras to guide their tools and remove the patient’s appendix.

What are the different radiology sub-specialties?

In the Definitive Healthcare PhysicianView product, we track five radiology sub-specialties that include:

  • Diagnostic radiology
  • Interventional radiology
  • Neuroradiology
  • Nuclear medicine
  • Pediatric radiology

In addition, radiation oncologists are tracked as an oncology sub-specialty.

Learn more

Looking for more information on radiology and imaging procedures and the providers that perform them? Find out which imaging center corporations are the largest or which imaging center performs the most MRIs. And when you are ready to start targeting the right imaging centers for your solution or product, healthcare commercial intelligence from the Definitive Healthcare platform can help guide you. Sign up for a free trial today.

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