CPT 75559 Cardiac MRI Stress Non-Contrast Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 75559: Cardiac MRI with Stress, Non-Contrast

Headline: CPT code 75559: Non-contrast cardiac MRI with stress for evaluation of cardiac structure and function

Lead: CPT code 75559 covers cardiac magnetic resonance imaging performed with stress protocols and without intravenous contrast to evaluate cardiac morphology and function. This imaging modality supports noninvasive assessment of ischemia, wall motion abnormalities, and functional capacity.

What the code represents and why it matters: CPT code 75559 identifies a specialized cardiac MRI service that combines stress testing with high-resolution structural and functional imaging without contrast. Nationally, this code is relevant for hospitals and outpatient imaging centers offering advanced noninvasive cardiac evaluation, influencing utilization patterns, imaging capacity, and clinical pathways for ischemia assessment.

Key payers covered: Analysis commonly includes Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare.

What readers will learn: The publication outlines clinical context for use of this CMR stress study, typical sites of service, payer coverage patterns, common billing modifiers, and where this code fits among related cardiac imaging options. Readers will find concise benchmarks for utilization and policy updates relevant to imaging authorization, as well as coding considerations tied to non-contrast stress CMR.

Scope: Content is written for a national audience of coding specialists, practice managers, and policy analysts seeking a focused summary of CPT code 75559 and its operational implications.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareCPT 75559cardiac MRIstress imagingnon-contrast MRIcardiology imagingmedical billingradiology codingimaging servicesprocedure coding

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 75559 describes a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) study performed with stress imaging without the use of intravenous contrast. The procedure assesses cardiac morphology and function while the patient undergoes a stress protocol to evaluate ischemia or functional response.

Service type: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with stress, non-contrast

Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient imaging center or freestanding outpatient MRI center

Data not available in the input.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 62-year-old patient with known ischemic heart disease and exertional angina is referred for a non-contrast cardiac magnetic resonance stress study to evaluate myocardial function and inducible ischemia. The patient arrives at an outpatient radiology center or hospital cardiac imaging suite after fasting per local protocol. Baseline vitals and a focused cardiac history are obtained by nursing; beta-blockers are held as appropriate. An exercise or pharmacologic stress protocol is selected based on the patient’s mobility and cardiopulmonary status. Continuous ECG and blood pressure monitoring are used during stress. The MRI technologist positions the patient in the scanner, programs cine and stress perfusion sequences, and acquires functional and morphologic images during rest and peak stress without intravenous gadolinium contrast. A board-certified cardiologist or radiologist interprets the images, documents wall motion abnormalities, ventricular volumes, and stress-induced changes, and generates a final report for the referring provider. Typical sites of service are outpatient imaging centers or hospital outpatient departments with MRI capability.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`	Professional component	When reporting only the physician interpretation separate from technical imaging resources.
`52`

CPT 75577: Coronary CTA Plaque Quantification and Post-Processing

CPT-75571-CORONARY-CALCIUM-SCORING-CT-NON-CONTRAST

CPT 75571: Non-Contrast CT Coronary Calcium Scoring

CPT-75573-CARDIAC-CT-CONGENITAL-HEART-EVALUATION

CPT 75573: Cardiac CT for Congenital Heart Evaluation

CPT-75580-FFR-CT-FROM-CCTA-AUGMENTATION-SOFTWARE-REPORT

CPT 75580: FFR-CT from Coronary CT Angiography via Augmentative Software

CPT-75557-CARDIAC-MRI-NON-CONTRAST-STRUCTURE-AND-FUNCTION

CPT 75557: Cardiac MRI for Structure and Function, No Contrast

CPT-75561-CARDIAC-MRI-WITH-AND-WITHOUT-CONTRAST

CPT 75561: Cardiac MRI Without and With Contrast

CPT-75574-CARDIAC-CT-WITH-CONTRAST-CORONARY-EVALUATION

CPT 75574: Cardiac CT With Contrast for Coronary Evaluation

CPT-75565-CARDIAC-MRI-VELOCITY-FLOW-MAPPING

CPT 75565: Cardiac MRI with Velocity Flow Mapping

CPT-75572-CARDIAC-CT-3D-POST-PROCESSING-FUNCTIONAL-ASSESSMENT

CPT 75572: Cardiac CT with 3D Post-Processing and Functional Assessment

CPT-75563-CARDIAC-MRI-STRESS-REST-WITH-AND-WITHOUT-CONTRAST

CPT 75563: Cardiac MRI Stress and Rest with and without Contrast

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`2084P0800X`	Cardiovascular Disease (Cardiologist)	Common interpreting physician for cardiac MRI stress studies.
`207R00000X`	Radiology	Radiologists with cardiac MRI expertise may perform and interpret studies.
`2086S0126X`	Nuclear Cardiology (Cardiologist)	Cardiologists with additional imaging specialization often involved in stress imaging protocols.
`208D00000X`	Diagnostic Radiology	Subspecialty radiologists performing cardiac MRI protocols.
`364S00000X`	Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technologist	Technologists who acquire cardiac MRI studies.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`I20.9`	Angina pectoris, unspecified	Common indication for stress cardiac imaging to evaluate inducible ischemia.
`I25.10`	Atherosclerotic heart disease of native coronary artery without angina pectoris	Used when assessing ventricular function and ischemia in patients with chronic coronary disease.
`I50.9`	Heart failure, unspecified	Cardiac MRI stress can assess ventricular function and ischemia contributing to heart failure symptoms.
`I21.9`	Acute myocardial infarction, unspecified	Post-infarct patients may undergo stress imaging to evaluate residual ischemia and functional recovery.
`R07.9`	Chest pain, unspecified	Frequently used symptom diagnosis prompting stress cardiac imaging to rule out ischemia.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`75557`	Magnetic resonance imaging, heart, including stress imaging when performed; with contrast material(s)	Alternative cardiac MRI stress study performed with intravenous contrast for perfusion or viability assessment when contrast is indicated.
`93015`	Cardiovascular stress tests, cardiovascular stress test using exercise and/or pharmacologic stress with interpretation and report	Performed prior to or in conjunction with imaging to document exercise capacity and hemodynamic response; may guide selection of MRI stress modality.
`71555`	Magnetic resonance angiography, chest (non-cardiac specific)	Performed when vascular anatomy, such as great vessels, is assessed in addition to cardiac morphology; sometimes performed in the same imaging encounter.
`93000`	Electrocardiogram, routine ECG with interpretation and report	Baseline and monitoring ECGs obtained during stress MRI to document rhythm and ischemic changes.
`72195`	Magnetic resonance imaging, thoracic spine or chest (if clinically indicated)	Occasionally ordered for differential diagnoses when chest pain etiology is unclear; may be part of same imaging visit.

Note: These related CPT codes are commonly performed alongside or complementary to non-contrast cardiac MRI stress studies in clinical workflows.

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