CPT 73701 CT Lower Extremity with Contrast Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 73701: CT Scan of Lower Extremity with Contrast

CPT code 73701 denotes a CT scan of the lower extremity performed with contrast, reported as a combined technical and professional service. This diagnostic radiology code is commonly used to evaluate suspected fractures and a range of lower-extremity pathologies where contrast-enhanced visualization is clinically useful. Nationally, imaging utilization and correct coding for contrast-enhanced CT of extremities influence diagnostic pathways, site-of-service decisions, and billing clarity for both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Key payers covered here include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for the procedure, typical sites of service, and the payer landscape relevant to reimbursement and prior authorization practices. The publication also outlines benchmarks and policy considerations related to coding and coverage for contrast-enhanced lower-extremity CT, clarifies the combined professional/technical reporting implication of the code, and highlights documentation elements that commonly affect medical necessity reviews. Data not available in the input include associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare73701CPTCT scanradiologylower extremitydiagnostic imagingcontrast-enhanced CToutpatient imaging

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 73701 describes a computed tomography (CT) scan of the lower extremity performed with contrast, reported as a combined professional and technical service. The procedure is used for imaging to evaluate fracture or other disease of the lower extremity when contrast enhancement is indicated.

Service type: Diagnostic radiology procedure (CT with contrast)
Typical site of service: Outpatient radiology departments, hospital imaging centers, or freestanding imaging centers where CT with contrast is performed

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 48-year-old patient presents to the emergency department after a fall onto the right lower leg with localized swelling, deformity, and inability to bear weight. The emergency physician orders a contrast-enhanced CT scan of the lower extremity to evaluate for complex bony fracture, intra-articular extension, and associated soft-tissue or vascular injury. The patient is screened for contrast allergy and renal function, IV access is established, and a radiology technologist performs a CT lower extremity study with intravenous contrast. A radiologist interprets the images, documents fracture characterization, soft-tissue involvement, and any vascular compromise, and issues the final report for orthopedic surgical planning. This service includes both technical and professional components as reported by 73701.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`	Professional component	When only the radiologist's interpretation/report is billed separately from the technical component.
`TC`	Technical component	When only the technical portion (equipment, technologist) is billed by the facility.

Related Codes

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

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

CPT-73565-STANDING-KNEE-WEIGHT-BEARING-XRAY

CPT 73565: Standing Weight-Bearing Knee Radiographs

CPT-73523-BILATERAL-HIP-X-RAYS-MULTI-VIEW

CPT 73523: Bilateral Hip X-Rays, Multi-View

CPT-73718-MRI-LOWER-EXTREMITY-NON-CONTRAST-NON-JOINT

CPT 73718: MRI Lower Extremity (Non-Joint), Non-Contrast

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

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

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

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

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

CPT 73660: Radiograph, Toes, Minimum Two Views

CPT-73719-MRI-LOWER-EXTREMITY-WITH-CONTRAST-NON-JOINT

CPT 73719: MRI of Lower Extremity (Non-Joint) With Contrast

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

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

CPT-73723-MRI-LOWER-EXTREMITY-JOINT-WITH-AND-WITHOUT-CONTRAST

CPT 73723: MRI Lower Extremity Joint, Without and With Contrast

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`radiology/diagnostic`	Diagnostic Radiology	Primary specialty performing and interpreting CT imaging of extremities.
`orthopedic.surgery`	Orthopaedic Surgery	Common referring specialty for fracture evaluation and surgical planning.
`emergency.medicine`	Emergency Medicine	Typical ordering provider in acute trauma presentations.
`vascular.surgery`	Vascular Surgery	May be involved when vascular injury is suspected on lower extremity CT.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`S82.201A`	Unspecified fracture of shaft of right tibia, initial encounter for closed fracture	Tibial shaft fractures frequently require CT when x-rays are inconclusive or complex fracture pattern suspected.
`S82.001A`	Unspecified fracture of right fibula, initial encounter for closed fracture	Fibular fractures may accompany tibial fractures and CT aids in surgical planning.
`S82.841A`	Nondisplaced fracture of lateral malleolus of right leg, initial encounter for closed fracture	Ankle fractures sometimes require CT to assess articular involvement.
`S82.891A`	Other fracture of lower leg, initial encounter for closed fracture	Captures complex or atypical lower leg fractures evaluated by CT.
`S98.011A`	Traumatic amputation of right lower leg at ankle level, initial encounter	Severe trauma cases may require CT to evaluate residual limb, bone and soft-tissue injury.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`73030`	Radiologic examination, ankle; 3 views	Common initial plain radiographs performed before CT to evaluate suspected fracture.
`73630`	Radiologic examination, tibia and fibula; complete, minimum of 3 views	Standard x-rays frequently obtained prior to CT for lower leg trauma triage.
`70450`	CT head or brain without contrast (single or multiphase)	Not specific to lower extremity but represents another CT study example when multisite trauma imaging is performed during the same encounter.
`74183`	CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast, diagnostic	May be performed in polytrauma evaluations alongside extremity CT when abdominal injury is suspected.
`70486`	CT maxillofacial without contrast	Example of additional site-specific CT that may be performed in multisystem trauma workups.