Summary & Overview
CPT 70160: Nasal Bones X‑ray, Three or More Views
CPT code 70160 represents a diagnostic plain radiograph of the nasal bones with three or more views, used to assess suspected nasal fracture or septal deformity. As a focused, low‑complexity imaging procedure, it is commonly performed in emergency departments, outpatient radiology suites, and hospital imaging centers nationwide. This code matters because accurate coding affects clinical documentation, care pathways for facial trauma, and appropriate facility and professional billing across payers.
Key payers addressed in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical indications and service context, standard payer coverage considerations, and typical billing elements tied to the code. The publication summarizes common billing modifiers and places the code within the diagnostic radiology service line. It also highlights benchmarks and policy considerations relevant to national billing practice and payer adjudication for plain film facial trauma imaging.
This briefing is intended to provide clinicians, coders, and billing professionals with the clinical context and payment‑related framing for CPT code 70160, including where the service is typically performed and how it fits into common care pathways for nasal injury evaluation. Data not available in the input are noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 70160 describes a plain radiographic (X‑ray) examination of the nasal bones with three or more views. The procedure is performed to evaluate suspected nasal fracture or septal deformity when clinical assessment indicates the need for multi‑view imaging.
Service Type: Diagnostic radiology — plain film X‑ray of the nasal bones, multi‑view
Typical Site of Service: Outpatient radiology department, hospital radiology suite, or emergency department
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult who presents to the emergency department or an urgent care clinic after facial trauma (for example, a blow to the nose from a fall, sports injury, or assault) complaining of nasal pain, swelling, deformity, epistaxis, or difficulty breathing through the nose. Initial triage includes history, vital signs, visual inspection, and focused nasal examination. When physical exam suggests a nasal fracture or significant septal deformity and radiographic confirmation is needed, the provider orders a plain radiographic series of the nasal bones consisting of three or more views using code 70160. Imaging is typically performed in the radiology department, emergency department radiology suite, or an outpatient imaging center. The radiologic technologist obtains standard views (such as lateral, Waters, and submentovertex or other orthogonal projections) per local protocol. The interpreting physician (radiologist or qualified clinician) documents findings and correlates with exam to guide management decisions such as conservative care, nasal packing, reduction, or referral to otolaryngology or facial trauma surgery. The exam may be billed with a professional component modifier 26 when the facility bills the technical component separately, or with an emergency department modifier such as ER when performed for emergency treatment.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|