Summary & Overview
CPT 76125: Motion Radiography of a Cycle of Movement
CPT code 76125 represents motion radiography: sequential X‑ray imaging captured and played back to visualize a cycle of movement, such as the cardiac cycle or spinal motion. This imaging technique supports dynamic assessment of anatomy and function that static radiographs cannot provide and is used in diagnostic workflows for musculoskeletal and cardiac evaluation. Nationally, motion radiography remains a niche but clinically valuable modality when assessing conditions that require visualization of movement.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of the code’s clinical context, typical sites of service, and the payer landscape. The publication outlines common billing considerations, typical modifier usage (listed separately), and related coding context. It also summarizes benchmark elements and policy updates where available.
The content provides clinicians, coders, and policy analysts with concise information on what the code covers, where it is typically performed, and which major national payers are relevant. Data not available in the input is identified explicitly in applicable sections.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 76125 describes motion X-ray recording that acquires a series of individual images played back rapidly to appear as a motion picture. The service images a cycle of movement, such as the cardiac cycle or motion of the spine.
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Service type: Diagnostic motion radiography capturing a sequence of images showing physiologic or anatomic movement over a cycle.
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Typical site of service: Hospital radiology department or outpatient imaging center where motion fluoroscopic or cine radiography is performed.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old patient presents with progressive neck pain and intermittent radicular symptoms suggestive of cervical spine instability and dynamic cord compression. The treating physician orders motion X-ray imaging to assess a cycle of spinal motion, capturing flexion-extension sequences to evaluate vertebral alignment, spondylolisthesis, and dynamic instability prior to potential surgical planning. The clinical workflow begins with the provider explaining the procedure and obtaining informed consent, positioning the patient upright or supine depending on the motion required, and performing a series of individual radiographic exposures while the patient performs controlled movements (for example, flexion and extension of the cervical spine). The technologist records the images in rapid sequence; the radiologist or treating clinician reviews the motion study, documents findings related to range of motion, translation, and any dynamic compression, and incorporates the results into the diagnostic and treatment plan. Typical sites of service include the radiology department, hospital outpatient imaging center, and ambulatory surgery centers where dynamic studies of the spine or cardiac motion may be performed. For cardiac motion studies, the workflow similarly captures cyclic cardiac motion for functional assessment in the cardiac catheterization laboratory or specialized imaging suites when clinically indicated.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when reporting only the interpretation by the physician without technical component. |