CPT 73501 Single‑View Hip X‑Ray Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 73501: Single‑View Hip X‑Ray for Fracture or Pain

CPT code 73501 identifies a single frontal projection X‑ray of one hip used to evaluate fracture, swelling, or other causes of hip pain; the pelvis may be included when performed. This imaging code is a common, low‑complexity diagnostic service encountered in emergency departments, radiology suites, and outpatient imaging centers nationwide. It matters nationally because hip pain and trauma are frequent drivers of imaging utilization, influence emergency care workflows, and contribute to overall imaging spend.

Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the clinical purpose and typical settings for the service, an overview of common modifiers and billing considerations, and the set of payers relevant for benchmarking or coverage checks. Where available, benchmarks for utilization, allowed amounts, and prior‑authorization patterns are summarized; if specific data points are not provided, the text indicates "Data not available in the input."

The publication is intended for coding staff, radiology managers, revenue cycle professionals, and policy analysts seeking a clear, clinician‑neutral description of CPT code 73501, its clinical role, and the payer landscape for national comparisons and reimbursement planning.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare73501CPThip-xraydiagnostic-radiologyimagingsingle-vieworthopedic-imaging

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 73501 describes a diagnostic radiology procedure consisting of a single frontal projection X‑ray of one hip (either left or right). The image is obtained to evaluate fracture, swelling, or other causes of hip pain, and the description notes inclusion of the pelvis when performed.

Service type: Diagnostic radiology — single-view hip X‑ray

Typical site of service: Radiology or imaging department, hospital outpatient department, emergency department, or freestanding imaging center

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A middle-aged adult presents to the emergency department after a ground-level fall with acute pain localized to the right hip and difficulty bearing weight. The patient reports immediate onset of groin and lateral hip pain after the fall. Triage vital signs are stable. The emergency physician performs a focused musculoskeletal and neurovascular exam, documents point tenderness over the greater trochanter and limited active range of motion due to pain, and orders imaging to evaluate for fracture.

The radiology technologist performs a single-view hip radiograph of the symptomatic side using standard AP (anteroposterior) projection, capturing the femoral head, neck, and adjacent pelvis as clinically indicated. Images are sent to the radiologist for interpretation. The radiologist documents the presence or absence of femoral neck fracture, intertrochanteric fracture, degenerative changes, or other acute osseous abnormality. Findings guide disposition: outpatient orthopedic follow-up for non-displaced fractures or urgent orthopedic consultation and admission for displaced fractures or neurovascular compromise.

Typical site of service: Emergency department or outpatient radiology/ambulatory imaging center.

Service type: Diagnostic radiography—single-view hip radiograph of one hip (73501).

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`LT`

CPT 73701: CT Scan of Lower Extremity with Contrast

CPT-73650-CALCANEUS-XRAY-TWO-VIEWS

CPT 73650: Calcaneus X‑ray, Minimum Two Views

CPT-73551-SINGLE-VIEW-FEMUR-X-RAY

CPT 73551: Single-View Femur X-Ray, Diagnostic Radiograph

CPT-73560-KNEE-XRAY-ONE-OR-TWO-VIEWS

CPT 73560: Knee X‑ray, One or Two Views

CPT-73721-MRI-LOWER-EXTREMITY-JOINT-NO-CONTRAST

CPT 73721: MRI of Lower Extremity Joint, No Contrast

CPT-73562-THREE-VIEW-KNEE-RADIOGRAPHS

CPT 73562: Three-View Radiographic Examination of the Knee

CPT-73592-INFANT-LOWER-EXTREMITY-XRAY-MULTIPLE-VIEWS

CPT 73592: Infant Lower Extremity X‑ray, Two or More Views

CPT-73700-CT-LOWER-EXTREMITY-NON-CONTRAST

CPT 73700: CT Scan of Lower Extremity, Non-Contrast

CPT-73725-LOWER-EXTREMITY-MRA-ARTERIAL-EVALUATION

CPT 73725: Magnetic Resonance Angiography of Lower Extremity, With/Without Contrast

CPT-73722-MRI-LOWER-EXTREMITY-JOINT-WITH-CONTRAST

CPT 73722: MRI of Lower Extremity Joint with Contrast

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`207RH0000X`	Radiology — Diagnostic Radiology	Primary specialty interpreting and overseeing hip radiographs.
`2085R0200X`	Emergency Medicine	Frequently orders and initially evaluates hip radiographs in the ED.
`207T00000X`	Surgery — Orthopaedic Surgery	Uses hip radiographs for fracture management and operative planning.
`207K00000X`	Family Medicine	May order hip radiographs in urgent care or outpatient settings for initial evaluation.
`2083A0400X`	Internal Medicine — Hospitalist	May order inpatient hip radiographs for admitted medical patients with falls or trauma.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`S72.001A`	Fracture of unspecified part of neck of right femur, initial encounter for closed fracture	Common indication for hip radiograph to confirm femoral neck fracture after trauma.
`S72.002A`	Fracture of unspecified part of neck of left femur, initial encounter for closed fracture	Used when left hip pain after trauma suggests femoral neck fracture.
`M16.11`	Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, right hip	Hip radiographs evaluate degenerative joint disease as a cause of chronic pain.
`M16.12`	Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, left hip	Used for unilateral degenerative hip pain assessment.
`M25.551`	Pain in right hip	Symptom code prompting diagnostic hip radiograph.
`M25.552`	Pain in left hip	Symptom code prompting diagnostic hip radiograph.
`R10.9`	Unspecified abdominal pain	Pelvic radiographs can be included when abdominal/pelvic pain localizes to the hip region; used selectively.
`W19XXXA`	Unspecified fall, initial encounter	Mechanism code often present with traumatic hip injury prompting imaging.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`73502`	Radiologic examination, hip, bilateral; 2 views	Performed when both hips require radiographic evaluation; complements single-view unilateral `73501` when additional views or bilateral assessment are indicated.
`73503`	Radiologic examination, hip, unilateral; 2 views	Used when a two-view study (AP and lateral) of one hip is clinically indicated for more complete assessment after an initial single-view `73501`.
`73030`	Radiologic examination, femur, single view, with or without comparison, unilateral or bilateral	Used when radiographic evaluation needs to be extended to the femur for suspected shaft extension of injury.
`72170`	Radiologic examination, pelvis, single view	Used when a focused pelvic view is required in addition to or instead of a single hip projection to evaluate pelvic ring injury.
`74177`	CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast (diagnostic)	Advanced imaging that may be ordered after plain radiographs if complex pelvic or acetabular fractures are suspected or to evaluate associated intra‑abdominal injury.
`72191`	MRI pelvis without contrast	Advanced soft tissue and occult fracture evaluation when radiographs are non-diagnostic and clinical suspicion remains high.

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