Summary & Overview
CPT 78707: Kidney Scan, Cortical and Functional Imaging
CPT code 78707 represents a nuclear medicine kidney scan used to assess renal anatomy and function. It encompasses cortical imaging to define kidney shape and functional studies that time radionuclide uptake, urine collection, and drainage to the bladder. This diagnostic modality is clinically important for identifying structural abnormalities, differential renal function, and obstructive uropathy, and it informs management decisions across nephrology, urology, and radiology.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication provides a national overview of clinical context and billing practice for CPT code 78707, including typical sites of service and procedural scope. Readers will find concise benchmarks and policy-relevant information about coverage considerations, common clinical indications, and operational settings where the test is performed.
The article delivers a practical summary for coding and revenue teams, clinical program leaders, and payers seeking a clear description of the service. It focuses on what the code represents, typical clinical use, and where the service is commonly delivered. Data elements not provided in the source input are noted as unavailable rather than inferred.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 78707 describes a kidney scan, a nuclear medicine procedure used to evaluate both the structure and function of the kidneys and to assess renal blood flow. The code covers two primary scan types: a cortical scan to visualize kidney shape and cortical anatomy, and a functional scan to measure the transit time of a radionuclide through the kidney, its collection in urine, and drainage into the bladder.
Service type: Nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging
Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient imaging center or freestanding nuclear medicine facility
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Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult referred by a urologist for evaluation of renal structure and function after recurrent urinary tract infections and suspected obstructive uropathy. The patient presents to an outpatient nuclear medicine department. The patient history includes flank pain, intermittent hematuria, and a prior ultrasound showing mild hydronephrosis. The nuclear medicine technologist confirms patient identity, reviews allergies and pregnancy status, and obtains IV access. A cortical scan is performed to assess renal shape and cortical defects; a functional (renogram) phase is obtained to measure tracer uptake, transit time, and drainage into the bladder. Dynamic imaging is acquired with the patient supine, and delayed static images are obtained as indicated. A nuclear medicine physician reviews images, generates a written report documenting differential kidney function, perfusion, drainage, and any cortical scarring, and provides findings to the referring urologist. Typical site of service is an outpatient imaging center, hospital radiology/nuclear medicine department, or ambulatory surgical center when combined with other procedures. Service type: diagnostic nuclear medicine renal cortical and/or functional scan.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when billing only the interpreting physician portion of the study separate from technical resources. |