Summary & Overview
CPT 73725: Magnetic Resonance Angiography of Lower Extremity, With/Without Contrast
CPT code 73725 represents magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the lower extremity, performed with or without contrast to visualize arterial anatomy and evaluate for stenosis or aneurysm. This imaging procedure is clinically important for diagnosing peripheral arterial disease, planning vascular interventions, and monitoring known arterial disease. Nationally, MRA for lower extremities is a commonly used noninvasive alternative to catheter angiography and factors into vascular care pathways across inpatient and outpatient settings.
Key payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication outlines what clinicians and billing professionals need to know about coverage and coding context for this procedure across major national payers. It highlights typical sites of service—outpatient imaging centers and hospital radiology departments—and situates the code in clinical workflows for vascular assessment.
Readers will find: an explanation of the clinical purpose of the service, typical care settings, common modifiers encountered in billing (listed separately), and where to look for payer-specific coverage guidance. Data limitations: details such as associated taxonomies, specific ICD-10 diagnosis pairings, and payer-specific reimbursement benchmarks are not provided in the input. This summary orients readers to the clinical and coding identity of CPT code 73725 and what to expect when seeking further payer policy and reimbursement details.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 73725 describes magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the lower extremity, with or without contrast, performed to generate detailed images of the arteries for evaluation of stenosis or aneurysm. The service captures imaging of the arterial vasculature of the legs to assess blood flow, detect narrowing, or identify aneurysmal dilatation.
Service Type: Diagnostic vascular imaging (MR angiography)
Typical Site of Service: Outpatient imaging center or hospital radiology department
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 68-year-old male with progressive right lower-extremity claudication and a history of peripheral artery disease and hypertension. The vascular surgeon orders 73725 (magnetic resonance angiography of the lower extremity, with or without contrast) to noninvasively evaluate for arterial stenosis, occlusion, or aneurysm prior to planning endovascular intervention. The patient arrives to an outpatient radiology imaging center or hospital outpatient department. The workflow includes pre-procedure screening for contraindications to MRI and gadolinium (renal function review, implanted devices), intravenous access for contrast if indicated, positioning and coil placement, acquisition of noncontrast and/or contrast-enhanced MRA sequences of the femoropopliteal and tibial arteries, image post-processing with maximum intensity projection (MIP) reconstructions, and radiologist interpretation with a formal report documenting location and severity of stenosis or aneurysm. Findings are communicated to the referring vascular surgeon or interventionalist for treatment planning, such as angiography with possible angioplasty/stenting or surgical bypass.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when only the interpreting physician component is billed separate from the technical component. |