CPT 73551 Single-View Femur X‑Ray Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

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

CPT code 73551 identifies a single-projection radiographic examination of the femur, commonly performed to diagnose fractures, swelling, or localized thigh pain. As a widely used diagnostic imaging code, it matters nationally because femur radiographs are a frontline tool in emergency, urgent care, and outpatient settings for acute musculoskeletal complaints. Accurate coding supports appropriate clinical documentation and claims processing across payers.

Key payers considered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for the code, typical sites of service, and the common payer landscape. The publication provides benchmarking context and policy-relevant details such as coverage considerations and billing practice patterns where available. It also highlights procedural characteristics that affect claims, such as the single-view nature of the study and typical clinical indications.

This national overview is intended for billing managers, radiology departments, and revenue cycle professionals who need clear, practice-focused information about CPT code 73551. Data not available in the input are noted where applicable.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare73551CPTradiologyfemur-x-raydiagnostic-imagingmusculoskeletalsingle-viewemergency-medicine

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 73551 describes a diagnostic X-ray of the femur performed from a single projection. The procedure is used to evaluate suspected fractures, assess swelling, or investigate other causes of thigh pain.

Service type: Diagnostic radiology — single-view femur radiograph
Typical site of service: Hospital radiology department, outpatient imaging center, urgent care, or emergency department

Data not available in the input.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is an adult who presents to the emergency department or outpatient radiology clinic after a fall, direct blow, or with progressive thigh pain and localized swelling. The patient reports inability to bear weight or has focal tenderness over the femoral shaft. The clinical workflow begins with triage and history/physical examination by a nurse or physician assistant, followed by an order for radiographic evaluation. Radiology staff obtain a single frontal or lateral projection of the femur using 73551. The technologist confirms patient identity and laterality (LT/RT), positions the patient, and acquires the image. Images are transmitted to the interpreting radiologist (or reporting provider) who reviews for fracture, cortical disruption, periosteal reaction, hardware integrity, or other pathology and issues a diagnostic report. Results are routed back to the ordering clinician for disposition, which may include orthopedic referral, advanced imaging, casting, or discharge with analgesia and activity modification.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`LT` / `RT`	Left/Right anatomical modifiers

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

CPT-73564-KNEE-RADIOGRAPHS-FOUR-OR-MORE-VIEWS

CPT 73564: Knee Radiographs, Four or More Views

CPT-73502-HIP-XRAY-TWO-THREE-PROJECTIONS

CPT 73502: Hip X‑ray, Two or Three Projections

CPT-73580-KNEE-ARTHROGRAPHY-IMAGING-SUPERVISION-INTERPRETATION

CPT 73580: Knee Arthrography Imaging Supervision and Interpretation

CPT-73660-TOE-XRAY-TWO-OR-MORE-VIEWS

CPT 73660: Radiograph, Toes, Minimum Two Views

CPT-73503-HIP-XRAY-MULTIPLE-PROJECTIONS-UNILATERAL

CPT 73503: Unilateral Hip X‑ray, Minimum Four Projections

CPT-73630-FOOT-RADIOGRAPHY-THREE-VIEWS

CPT 73630: Foot Radiography, Minimum Three Views

CPT-73702-CT-LOWER-EXTREMITY-WITH-AND-WITHOUT-CONTRAST

CPT 73702: CT Scan of Lower Extremity, With and Without Contrast

CPT-73521-BILATERAL-HIP-X-RAY-TWO-VIEWS

CPT 73521: Bilateral Hip X‑Ray, Two Views Each

CPT-73650-CALCANEUS-XRAY-TWO-VIEWS

CPT 73650: Calcaneus X‑ray, Minimum Two Views

Showing 1–10 of 33

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
2080S00000X	Radiology	Diagnostic radiologists commonly interpret femur radiographs.
207RC0000X	Emergency Medicine	Emergency physicians frequently order and may perform or supervise radiographs in the ED.
207L00000X	Orthopaedic Surgery	Orthopaedic surgeons order and review femur radiographs for fracture management.
363LA2200X	Radiologic Technologist	Technologists acquire `73551` images per protocol.
207K00000X	Family Medicine	Primary care clinicians may order initial femur imaging in outpatient settings.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`S72.30XA`	Unspecified fracture of shaft of femur, initial encounter for closed fracture	Direct indication for femur radiography to confirm and characterize the fracture.
`S72.90XA`	Unspecified fracture of femur, part unspecified, initial encounter for closed fracture	Used when the femoral fracture location is not specified; radiograph localizes and defines the injury.
`M79.60`	Pain in limb, unspecified	Common presenting complaint prompting femur imaging when pain is localized to the thigh.
`S80.0XXA`	Contusion of thigh, initial encounter	Blunt trauma with swelling or ecchymosis often requires radiographic evaluation to exclude underlying fracture.
`T14.8`	Other injury of unspecified body region	Used when documentation is non-specific; radiography aids in diagnosis of occult femoral injury.
`Z04.9`	Encounter for examination and observation for unspecified reason	May be used in observation settings where radiography is performed as part of evaluation after an incident.
`M25.561`	Pain in right hip	Hip pain can refer to the femur; femur radiograph may be ordered to evaluate referred pain or adjacent pathology.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`73550`	Radiologic examination, femur; single anteroposterior or lateral view	Alternative single-view femur code; sometimes used interchangeably depending on payer definitions and documentation of projection.
`73552`	Radiologic examination, femur; minimum of two views	Performed when additional orthogonal views are needed after `73551` to fully evaluate a suspected fracture.
`73030`	Radiologic examination, shoulder; complete, minimum of two views	May be performed in the same visit when trauma involves the ipsilateral shoulder and femur imaging is ordered as part of multisite trauma assessment.
`72192`	Radiologic examination, femur/hip joint, unilateral; minimum of two views (hip-specific)	Ordered when clinical concern shifts to the hip joint rather than isolated femoral shaft; may be performed in addition to or instead of femur imaging.
`73000`	Radiologic examination, humerus; single anteroposterior or lateral view	Example of another extremity single-view code commonly performed in multi-injury evaluation alongside `73551`.

OpenPayer