Two-view radiologic examination of the thoracic spine, including AP and lateral projections of the 12 thoracic vertebrae.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Medicare: $33.07
Total RVUs: 0.99
Global, days
Region: Spine

Drawn from CMSAAPCMdclarityPayerprice

Documentation requirements

What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Ordering physician's signed and dated order specifying thoracic spine imaging
Clinical indication or diagnosis supporting medical necessity (e.g., fracture, scoliosis, degenerative changes, osteoporosis workup)
Radiology report documenting the number of views obtained and the interpreting radiologist's findings
Technologist documentation confirming AP and lateral projections were performed
ICD-10-CM diagnosis code(s) on the claim must match the documented clinical indication in the record

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

26 Professional component 52 Reduced services 76 Repeat, same physician 77 Repeat, another physician

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓

CPT 72070 covers a standard two-view X-ray of the thoracic spine — AP and lateral projections. It's the entry-level thoracic spine imaging code. If three views are taken (e.g., adding a swimmer's view), bill 72072. Four or more views step up to 72074. Billing 72070 when four views were actually acquired is a common downcoding error that leaves money on the table.

At IDTFs, this code requires radiologist supervision and a Certified Radiologic Technologist (ARRT R.T.-R) to perform the acquisition. When the interpreting radiologist and the imaging facility are separate billing entities, split the claim using modifier 26 for the professional component and TC for the technical component. Global billing applies only when the same group owns both the equipment and the interpretation.

For multi-region spine imaging — such as scoliosis studies spanning the entire spine — consider the 72081–72084 family instead of stacking individual regional codes. NCCI bundling applies when entire-spine codes cover overlapping regions, so don't report 72070 alongside 72081–72084 for the same encounter without documented clinical justification for each discrete region.

RVU & reimbursement

Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.2
Practice expense RVU	0.77
Malpractice RVU	0.02
Total RVU	0.99
Medicare national rate	$33.07
Global period	days

Payment by site of service

Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.

Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026

Setting	Medicare rate (national)
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office	$33.07
HOPD (APC 5522) Hospital outpatient department	$106.81

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 72070 get rejected.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓

Insufficient medical necessity documentation — no signed order or vague clinical indication on the requisition
View count mismatch — billing 72070 (2 views) when the report documents three or more views, triggering a code-level discrepancy
Duplicate claim — same date, same patient, same code billed by both the facility and the interpreting physician without proper 26/TC modifier split
Bundling denial when 72070 is reported alongside entire-spine scoliosis codes (72081–72084) for overlapping thoracic segments without separate clinical justification
IDTF supervision deficiency — claim denied when radiologist supervision or qualified technologist credentials are not documented per CMS IDTF requirements

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓

01When does a thoracic spine X-ray move from 72070 to 72072 or 72074?

View count drives the code. Two views (AP + lateral) = 72070. Three views (adds swimmer's or oblique) = 72072. Four or more views = 72074. The radiology report must document each view taken. Bill the code that matches what was actually acquired.

02Can 72070 be billed with modifier 26 and TC on the same claim?

No. Modifier 26 (professional component) and TC (technical component) are billed on separate claims by separate entities. The radiologist bills 26 for the interpretation; the facility bills TC for the equipment and technologist. If the same group owns both, bill the global code with no modifier.

03Should 72070 be reported alongside 72081–72084 for a scoliosis study that includes the thoracic spine?

No. The 72081–72084 entire-spine scoliosis codes cover the thoracic region. Stacking 72070 with those codes for the same thoracic segment is unbundling. Use the scoliosis-specific code that matches the total view count across the full study.

04What ICD-10 codes most commonly support medical necessity for 72070?

Common supporting diagnoses include thoracic vertebral fracture codes (S22.xxx), thoracic kyphosis (M40.04), scoliosis (M41.xx), thoracic disc degeneration (M51.14), osteoporosis with or without fracture (M80/M81 series), and thoracic back pain (M54.6). The diagnosis on the claim must match the documented indication in the ordering physician's notes.

05What supervision and technologist credentials does CMS require at an IDTF for 72070?

CMS requires radiologist-level supervision and a Certified Radiologic Technologist with ARRT R.T.-R credentials to perform the acquisition. These requirements are codified in CMS IDTF policy (CMS Article A54953). Failure to document compliance is a denial risk on IDTF claims.

06Is there a global period for 72070?

No. CPT 72070 carries a XXX global period, meaning the global period concept does not apply. There is no pre- or post-service period bundled into the code, and no modifier is needed to bill related E/M services on the same date.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.

Mira AI Scribe

Mira's AI scribe captures the number of views obtained, the specific projections performed (AP, lateral, swimmer's), the clinical indication dictated by the ordering provider, and the interpreting radiologist's findings from the operative or clinical note. This prevents the most common 72070 audit flag: a radiology report that documents three views while the claim bills a two-view code — or vice versa — triggering a level-of-service mismatch on post-payment review.

See how Mira captures CPT 72070 documentation