CPT code 61736 represents laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) for a simple brain lesion using a single trajectory. This minimally invasive neurosurgical procedure uses laser energy to ablate targeted brain tissue, often with MRI guidance to plan and monitor the thermal lesion. Nationally, LITT procedures are increasingly relevant as neurosurgical teams adopt image-guided thermal ablation for select tumor and lesion indications, with implications for site-of-service decisions, capital investment in MRI-capable suites, and payer coverage policies.

Key payers included in this analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical and billing overview of the procedure, common modifiers and billing considerations, typical sites of service, and the types of documentation and coding contexts that commonly accompany 61736. The publication outlines common policy and reimbursement themes affecting adoption and utilization, summarizes benchmarking context where available, and highlights clinical scenarios and service-line impacts relevant to neurosurgery and hospital administrators.

This summary is written for a national audience and is intended to provide a clear, practical reference on the clinical service represented by CPT code 61736, its billing context, and what to expect in payer coverage and operational planning. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable in the full publication.