CPT 73722: MRI Lower Extremity Joint With Contrast

Medicare pays $219 on average nationally for this procedure.

CPT code 73722 describes a diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of a lower extremity joint performed with intravenous contrast, typically used to evaluate joint structures such as cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and surrounding soft tissues; service type: diagnostic imaging, typical site of service: outpatient imaging center or hospital radiology department.

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CPT 73722: MRI Lower Extremity Joint With Contrast

Medicare pays $219 on average nationally for this procedure.

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Sign up for cpt 73722 policy alerts

Get alerted when payer policies referencing 73722 are released or updated.

Monitor payer policy activity

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Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 34-year-old athlete presents with several months of progressive lateral knee pain and intermittent swelling after a twisting injury during a soccer match. Physical exam demonstrates joint-line tenderness and a positive McMurray test raising concern for a meniscal tear. Conservative care including rest, NSAIDs, and physical therapy produced limited improvement. The orthopedic surgeon orders 73722 — magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a lower extremity joint with intravenous contrast — to further evaluate intra-articular pathology, assess for subtle cartilage defects, synovial disease, occult infection or neoplasm, and to help plan possible arthroscopic intervention.

Clinical workflow: The referring clinician documents history, focused exam, and indication (e.g., suspected meniscal tear, persistent effusion, concern for infection or tumor). The radiology scheduling team ensures MRI safety screening, IV access, and contrast consent. On the day of service the MRI technologist performs the contrast-enhanced joint study per protocol; a radiologist interprets and issues a structured report describing meniscal integrity, ligament status, cartilage, synovium, and any enhancing masses or infection. The orthopedist reviews images and report to determine need for arthroscopy, aspiration, biopsy, or continued conservative management.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`73721`	Magnetic resonance imaging, any joint of lower extremity; without contrast material	Performed when contrast is not indicated; ordered when contrast-enhanced study (`73722`) is not required.
`73723`	Magnetic resonance imaging, any joint of lower extremity; without and with contrast material	Alternative study when both noncontrast and postcontrast sequences are obtained in one combined exam.
`73562`	Computed tomography, knee, without contrast (CT)	CT is an alternative imaging modality for bony evaluation when MRI is contraindicated or not tolerated.
`20610`	Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection; major joint or bursa (e.g., knee) without image guidance	May be performed before or after MRI for diagnostic aspiration of effusion or therapeutic injection.
`29881`	Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; with meniscectomy (medial OR lateral including any meniscal shaving)	Surgical intervention that may follow MRI diagnosis of a symptomatic meniscal tear.
`73030`	Radiologic examination, tibia and/or fibula, 2 views	Plain radiographs often obtained initially prior to advanced imaging like `73722`.

Related Modifiers

7 rows

Modifier	Description	When to Use
26	Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…	- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
52	Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…	- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
53	Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…	- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
59	Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…	- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
50	Modifier –50 (Bilateral Procedure) is appended to a CPT code when an identical procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures during the same operative session. The AMA states to add…	- Use modifier -50 when the same CPT surgical, diagnostic, or radiology procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures (both sides of the body) during the same operative/session by the same…
77	Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…	- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…
51	Modifier –51 (Multiple Procedures) is used when the same provider performs multiple procedures in the same session to identify secondary, non‑exempt procedures and indicate payment reduction logic…	- Use modifier -51 when the same provider performs multiple distinct procedures during the same patient encounter: report the highest‑valued procedure first (no modifier) and append -51 to…

Related Provider Taxonomies

8 rows

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RC0000X	Cardiovascular Disease Physician	An internist who specializes in diseases of the heart and blood vessels and manages complex cardiac conditions such as heart attacks and life-threaten…
207V00000X	Obstetrics & Gynecology Physician	An obstetrician/gynecologist possesses special knowledge, skills and professional capability in the medical and surgical care of the female reproducti…
208000000X	Pediatrics Physician	A pediatrician is concerned with the physical, emotional and social health of children from birth to young adulthood. Care encompasses a broad spectru…
207K00000X	Allergy & Immunology Physician	An allergist-immunologist is trained in evaluation, physical and laboratory diagnosis, and management of disorders involving the immune system. Select…
213EG0000X	Deactivated - Podiatrist
225XH1200X	Hand Occupational Therapist	Respiratory, Developmental, Rehabilitative and Restorative Service Providers · Occupational Therapist
261QA0005X	Ambulatory Family Planning Facility	An abortion/family planning facility where services are provided at a fixed specific location. An Ambulatory Family Planning Facility does not provid…
2083C0008X	Clinical Informatics Physician	Physicians who practice Clinical Informatics collaborate with other health care and information technology professionals to analyze, design, implement…

Related Payer Policy Updates

Specialty: Orthopedics/Musculoskeletal1 / 4

10 rows

Policy	Payer	Effective Date
Hip Arthroplasty (partial and total hip replacement)	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Shoulder Arthroplasty (Total, Partial, Reverse, Revision and Resurfacing)	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Artificial Lumbar Intervertebral Disc (Lumbar Total Disc Arthroplasty)	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Osteochondral Grafting of the Knee	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Lumbar Fusion (arthrodesis) with decompression	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Resurfacing	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Sacroiliac Joint Fusion or Stabilization	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI)	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Percutaneous Vertebroplasty/Mechanical Vertebral Augmentation and Percutaneous Sacroplasty	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Shoulder Open Procedures	Premera Bluecross	2026-09-04

Related Codes

CPT-73501-SINGLE-VIEW-HIP-XRAY

CPT 73501: Single-View Hip Radiograph

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

CPT 73502: Hip X‑ray, Two or Three Views (Single Hip)

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

CPT 73503: Radiography, Hip, Minimum 4 Projections

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

CPT 73521: Bilateral Hip X‑Ray, Two Views

CPT-73522-BILATERAL-HIP-X-RAYS-MULTIPLE-PROJECTIONS

CPT 73522: Bilateral Hip X‑ray, Three to Four Views

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

CPT 73523: Bilateral Hip X‑rays, Multiple Projections

CPT-73525-HIP-ARTHROGRAPHY-IMAGING-SUPERVISION-INTERPRETATION

CPT 73525: Hip Arthrography Imaging Supervision and Interpretation

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

CPT 73551: Single-Projection Femur X-Ray

CPT-73552-FEMUR-XRAY-TWO-PROJECTIONS

CPT 73552: Femur X‑ray, Minimum Two Projections

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

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

Showing 1–10 of 33

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

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Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`73721`	Magnetic resonance imaging, any joint of lower extremity; without contrast material	Performed when contrast is not indicated; ordered when contrast-enhanced study (`73722`) is not required.
`73723`	Magnetic resonance imaging, any joint of lower extremity; without and with contrast material	Alternative study when both noncontrast and postcontrast sequences are obtained in one combined exam.
`73562`	Computed tomography, knee, without contrast (CT)	CT is an alternative imaging modality for bony evaluation when MRI is contraindicated or not tolerated.
`20610`	Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection; major joint or bursa (e.g., knee) without image guidance	May be performed before or after MRI for diagnostic aspiration of effusion or therapeutic injection.
`29881`	Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; with meniscectomy (medial OR lateral including any meniscal shaving)	Surgical intervention that may follow MRI diagnosis of a symptomatic meniscal tear.
`73030`	Radiologic examination, tibia and/or fibula, 2 views	Plain radiographs often obtained initially prior to advanced imaging like `73722`.

Related Modifiers

7 rows

Modifier	Description	When to Use
26	Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…	- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
52	Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…	- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
53	Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…	- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
59	Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…	- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
50	Modifier –50 (Bilateral Procedure) is appended to a CPT code when an identical procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures during the same operative session. The AMA states to add…	- Use modifier -50 when the same CPT surgical, diagnostic, or radiology procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures (both sides of the body) during the same operative/session by the same…
77	Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…	- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…
51	Modifier –51 (Multiple Procedures) is used when the same provider performs multiple procedures in the same session to identify secondary, non‑exempt procedures and indicate payment reduction logic…	- Use modifier -51 when the same provider performs multiple distinct procedures during the same patient encounter: report the highest‑valued procedure first (no modifier) and append -51 to…

Related Provider Taxonomies

8 rows

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RC0000X	Cardiovascular Disease Physician	An internist who specializes in diseases of the heart and blood vessels and manages complex cardiac conditions such as heart attacks and life-threaten…
207V00000X	Obstetrics & Gynecology Physician	An obstetrician/gynecologist possesses special knowledge, skills and professional capability in the medical and surgical care of the female reproducti…
208000000X	Pediatrics Physician	A pediatrician is concerned with the physical, emotional and social health of children from birth to young adulthood. Care encompasses a broad spectru…
207K00000X	Allergy & Immunology Physician	An allergist-immunologist is trained in evaluation, physical and laboratory diagnosis, and management of disorders involving the immune system. Select…
213EG0000X	Deactivated - Podiatrist
225XH1200X	Hand Occupational Therapist	Respiratory, Developmental, Rehabilitative and Restorative Service Providers · Occupational Therapist
261QA0005X	Ambulatory Family Planning Facility	An abortion/family planning facility where services are provided at a fixed specific location. An Ambulatory Family Planning Facility does not provid…
2083C0008X	Clinical Informatics Physician	Physicians who practice Clinical Informatics collaborate with other health care and information technology professionals to analyze, design, implement…

Related Payer Policy Updates

Specialty: Orthopedics/Musculoskeletal1 / 4

10 rows

Policy	Payer	Effective Date
Hip Arthroplasty (partial and total hip replacement)	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Shoulder Arthroplasty (Total, Partial, Reverse, Revision and Resurfacing)	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Artificial Lumbar Intervertebral Disc (Lumbar Total Disc Arthroplasty)	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Osteochondral Grafting of the Knee	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Lumbar Fusion (arthrodesis) with decompression	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Resurfacing	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Sacroiliac Joint Fusion or Stabilization	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI)	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Percutaneous Vertebroplasty/Mechanical Vertebral Augmentation and Percutaneous Sacroplasty	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Shoulder Open Procedures	Premera Bluecross	2026-09-04

Related Codes

CPT-73501-SINGLE-VIEW-HIP-XRAY

CPT 73501: Single-View Hip Radiograph

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

CPT 73502: Hip X‑ray, Two or Three Views (Single Hip)

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

CPT 73503: Radiography, Hip, Minimum 4 Projections

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

CPT 73521: Bilateral Hip X‑Ray, Two Views

CPT-73522-BILATERAL-HIP-X-RAYS-MULTIPLE-PROJECTIONS

CPT 73522: Bilateral Hip X‑ray, Three to Four Views

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

CPT 73523: Bilateral Hip X‑rays, Multiple Projections

CPT-73525-HIP-ARTHROGRAPHY-IMAGING-SUPERVISION-INTERPRETATION

CPT 73525: Hip Arthrography Imaging Supervision and Interpretation

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

CPT 73551: Single-Projection Femur X-Ray

CPT-73552-FEMUR-XRAY-TWO-PROJECTIONS

CPT 73552: Femur X‑ray, Minimum Two Projections

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

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

Showing 1–10 of 33

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

CPT 73722: MRI Lower Extremity Joint With Contrast

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CPT 73722: MRI Lower Extremity Joint With Contrast

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Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related Payer Policy Updates

Related Codes

What does CPT 73722 describe and when is it typically used?

Which other procedures are related to or alternatives for CPT 73722?

What clinical scenarios and workflow justify ordering a 73722 study?

Which payers are listed for coverage and are reimbursement rates provided?

Which diagnosis codes on the page are associated with CPT 73722 and were any omitted as not applicable?

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related Payer Policy Updates

Related Codes

What does CPT 73722 describe and when is it typically used?

Which other procedures are related to or alternatives for CPT 73722?

What clinical scenarios and workflow justify ordering a 73722 study?

Which payers are listed for coverage and are reimbursement rates provided?

Which diagnosis codes on the page are associated with CPT 73722 and were any omitted as not applicable?

References