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    v1.0.31
    OpenPayerBilling CodesOther Diagnostic Ultrasound ProceduresCPT cpt-76998-intraoperative-ultrasound-guidance
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    CPT 76998: Intraoperative Ultrasound Guidance Examination

    Medicare pays $49 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 76998 describes intraoperative ultrasound guidance used by the provider to examine organs and other tissues for abnormalities during a surgical procedure; this is a procedural imaging service typically performed in the operating room or other procedural/surgical setting to support real-time assessment and localization of pathology.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devices for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation, Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devices for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation, Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devices for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 58-year-old male undergoing an open inguinal hernia repair with intraoperative ultrasound guidance to identify and evaluate an undescended testicular remnant and adjacent soft tissue structures. The surgeon uses a sterile intraoperative ultrasound probe to localize residual tissue, assess vascularity, and guide precise dissection to avoid neurovascular injury. The workflow includes: preoperative anesthesia and surgical timeout; sterile draping and placement of a sterile-covered ultrasound transducer; operative exploration with real-time sonographic assessment by the operating surgeon or qualified provider; documentation of images in the operative report; and integration of ultrasound findings into intraoperative decisions (e.g., extending the dissection or obtaining tissue samples). Typical site of service is an operating room or an ambulatory surgical center.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    76881Ultrasound, pregnant uterus, real time with image documentation, limited (e.g., fetal position, placental location, fetal cardiac activity)Not typically billed with intraoperative guidance for non-obstetric procedures; listed here as a standard ultrasound CPT used in operative environments when applicable.
    76937Ultrasound guidance for needle placement (e.g., biopsy, aspiration, injection), imaging supervision and interpretationCommonly performed alongside intraoperative ultrasound when percutaneous or biopsy sampling is obtained during surgery.
    51702Insertion of temporary indwelling bladder catheter; simple (e.g., Foley)May be performed before intraoperative ultrasound for pelvic procedures requiring bladder decompression.
    49083Insertion of peritoneal drain under image guidanceImage-guided drain placement can follow intraoperative evaluation when fluid collections are identified.
    19083Image-guided placement of radiotherapy localization deviceIn surgical oncology cases, intraoperative ultrasound can guide placement of markers or localization devices.

    Related Modifiers

    9 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    26Modifier 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…
    59Modifier 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…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    77Modifier 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…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
    79Modifier 79 indicates a surgical procedure performed during the postoperative global period of a prior surgery that is unrelated to the original procedure. Per AMA/CPT and CMS guidance, it is…- Use modifier 79 when the same physician (or same‑specialty physician in the same group) performs a surgical procedure during the postoperative global period of a prior surgery and the new procedure…
    50Modifier –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…
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    208D00000X
    2080P0006X
    207L00000X
    2084P0800X
    1223X2210X
    125Q00000X
    111NX0800X
    133VN1201X

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Cardiology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devices for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillationpremerabluecrossofwashington2027-02-05
    Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devices for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillationpremerabluecrossofwashington2027-02-05
    Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devices for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillationpremerabluecrossofwashington2027-02-05
    Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure - Medical PolicyHealth-New-England2027-02-01
    Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair Medical PolicyHealth-New-England2027-02-01
    Cardiac Electrophysiological (EP) Studies and Cardiac Ablation of Abnormal Electrical RhythmsCigna2027-01-15
    IvabradineCigna2026-11-15
    Tilt Table TestingCigna2026-11-15
    Outpatient Cardiology Procedures for EviCore Arrangement (for Oxford Only)Colorado Rocky Mountain Health Plans2026-11-01
    Biomarkers for Myocardial Infarction and Chronic Heart Failure Reimbursement PolicyHealthfirst2026-11-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-76975-ENDOSCOPIC-ULTRASOUND-SUPERVISION-INTERPRETATION

    CPT 76975: Endoscopic Ultrasound Supervision and Interpretation

    CPT-76977-PERIPHERAL-BONE-DENSITY-ULTRASOUND

    CPT 76977: Peripheral Bone Density Measurement by Ultrasound

    CPT-76978-CONTRAST-ENHANCED-MICROBUBBLE-ULTRASOUND-LESION-ASSESSMENT

    CPT 76978: Targeted Microbubble Contrast‑Enhanced Ultrasound

    CPT-76979-TARGETED-CONTRAST-ENHANCED-ULTRASOUND-MICROBUBBLE

    CPT 76979: Additional Microbubble Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

    CPT-76981-ULTRASOUND-ELASTOGRAPHY-ORGAN-BASELINE-ASSESSMENT

    CPT 76981: Ultrasound Elastography for Organ Tissue Assessment

    CPT-76982-ULTRASOUND-ELASTOGRAPHY-SUSPICIOUS-LESION

    CPT 76982: Ultrasound Elastography for Suspicious Lesion

    CPT-76983-ULTRASOUND-ELASTOGRAPHY-SUSPICIOUS-LESION

    CPT 76983: Ultrasound Elastography of Additional Suspicious Lesion

    CPT-76984-INTRAOPERATIVE-THORACIC-AORTA-ULTRASOUND

    CPT 76984: Intraoperative Ultrasound Imaging of Thoracic Aorta

    CPT-76987-INTRAOPERATIVE-CARDIAC-ULTRASOUND-CONGENITAL-HEART-DISEASE

    CPT 76987: Intraoperative Cardiac Ultrasound Guidance

    CPT-76988-INTRAOPERATIVE-ULTRASOUND-CONGENITAL-HEART-EVALUATION

    CPT 76988: Intraoperative Cardiac Ultrasound Transducer Placement and Imaging

    Showing 1–10 of 12

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 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. 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. 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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