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CPT 70460: CT Scan of Head or Brain With Contrast
Headline: CPT code 70460: CT Scan of Head/Brain With Contrast — Diagnostic Neuroimaging for Intracranial Pathology
CPT code 70460 designates a computed tomography scan of the head or brain conducted with intravenous contrast to evaluate intracranial abnormalities such as aneurysm, mass lesion, or hemorrhage. This imaging service is a core diagnostic tool in acute and subacute neurologic care, affecting emergency departments, inpatient neurology and neurosurgery services, and outpatient neuroimaging centers nationally. Its appropriate use influences clinical decision-making for stroke, hemorrhage, tumor evaluation, and surgical planning.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise review of clinical context for CT head with contrast, comparisons to related CT head codes without contrast and combined studies, and the typical settings where the service is furnished. The publication also outlines common ICD-10 clinical indications linked to this service and highlights operational considerations for imaging departments.
This summary equips clinicians, billing professionals, and policy analysts with an understanding of what CPT code 70460 represents, why it matters in patient care pathways, and which payers commonly include coverage for the service. Data not available in the input.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 70460 describes a computed tomography (CT) scan of the head or brain performed with intravenous contrast. The procedure is used to identify or characterize intracranial pathology, such as cerebral aneurysm, mass lesion, hemorrhage, or other brain abnormalities.
Service type: Diagnostic neuroimaging (CT with contrast)
Typical site of service: Hospital radiology department or outpatient imaging center
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Medicare’s mean reimbursement of $102.80 sits well below the BUCA average commercial mean of $425.00 for CPT 70460, indicating a substantial gap between government and average commercial payments. That gap of $322.20 highlights how much higher commercial benchmarks can be versus standard Medicare reimbursement, which may influence overall revenue mix when commercial volumes are significant.
Dispersion (P75 minus P25) varies notably across payers. Blue Cross Blue Shield shows the widest interquartile spread at $197.90 (P75 $722.30 minus P25 $527.40), followed by BUCA at $167.30 (P75 $502.30 minus P25 $335.00). Aetna has a moderate spread of $114.00, while Cigna and UnitedHealth Group are tighter at $152.40 and $120.60 respectively. Medicare’s IQR is $88.00 (P75 $142.50 minus P25 $54.50), the narrowest of the group.