Imaging · Other

Radiologic examination of the femur capturing a minimum of two views (typically anteroposterior and lateral) to evaluate the thigh bone.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 5 sources ↓

Medicare: $35.74
Total RVUs: 1.07
Global, days
Region: Other

Drawn from CMSAAPCEmednyAAOS

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓

Specify the number of views obtained and the projections used (e.g., AP and lateral)
Document the clinical indication — fracture, pain, suspected metastasis, post-op assessment — to support medical necessity
Identify laterality (left, right, or bilateral) explicitly in the order and the report
Radiologist or orthopedic surgeon interpretation report with findings, impression, and clinical correlation
For IDTF billing, confirm supervising physician meets CMS credentialing requirements (board-certified radiologist or orthopedic surgeon)

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

26 Professional component 50 Bilateral procedure 52 Reduced services 59 Distinct service 76 Repeat, same physician 77 Repeat, another physician LT Left side RT Right side

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓

73552 covers a two-or-more-view X-ray series of the femur. The minimum two-view requirement — typically AP and lateral — distinguishes this code from 73551, which covers a single-view exam. The additional projection is clinically necessary to fully characterize fracture pattern, alignment, angulation, and cortical integrity along the full femoral shaft and adjacent metaphyses.

This code appears most in trauma and post-operative orthopedic contexts: femoral shaft fractures, periprosthetic fractures around hip or knee implants, metastatic lesion surveillance, and stress fracture evaluation. In an IDTF setting, CMS requires interpretation by a board-certified radiologist or orthopedic surgeon; a general radiographer or medical physicist may perform the technical acquisition.

When the professional and technical components are billed separately — as is common when a radiologist reads films ordered by an orthopedic surgeon — modifier 26 identifies the professional component. LT and RT are required by most payers when only one side is imaged. If both femurs are examined in a single session, modifier 50 or separate line entries with LT/RT apply depending on payer rules.

RVU & reimbursement

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

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.18
Practice expense RVU	0.87
Malpractice RVU	0.02
Total RVU	1.07
Medicare national rate	$35.74
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	$35.74
HOPD (APC 5521) Hospital outpatient department	$88.91

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 73552 get rejected.

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

Missing laterality modifier (LT or RT) when only one femur was imaged — most payers require it for bilateral-capable anatomy
Billing 73552 when only one view was obtained; use 73551 if documentation supports a single-view exam only
ICD-10 diagnosis code does not support medical necessity for femur-specific imaging (e.g., a knee-specific code with no documented proximal or distal femur involvement)
Modifier 26 missing when radiologist bills professional component separately from a facility or group that billed the technical component
Repeat same-day imaging billed without modifier 76 or 77, triggering NCCI edit or duplicate-claim denial

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 5 cited references ↓

01What is the difference between 73551 and 73552?

73551 is for a single-view femur X-ray. 73552 requires a minimum of two views. If the radiologic technologist takes both AP and lateral images, bill 73552. If only one projection was obtained, bill 73551 — and document why one view was sufficient.

02Do I need LT or RT on 73552?

Yes, for unilateral exams. Most payers — including Medicare — require laterality modifiers for bilateral-capable anatomy. Omitting LT or RT on a single-femur study is a routine denial trigger. If both femurs are imaged, use modifier 50 or bilateral line entries per payer instructions.

03How do I bill when the orthopedic surgeon orders the X-ray and a radiologist reads it?

The radiologist bills 73552-26 for the professional component (interpretation and report). The facility or imaging center bills the technical component, either globally or with modifier TC depending on their billing arrangement. The ordering surgeon does not separately bill for interpretation unless they personally read and document a formal report.

04Can I bill 73552 same-day with fracture treatment codes like 27230 or 27245?

Yes. Imaging is separately billable from fracture treatment. Append LT or RT to both the imaging and the surgical code to match laterality. The X-ray is not bundled into the fracture care global — it is a distinct service.

05What modifier applies if the femur X-ray needs to be repeated the same day?

Use modifier 76 if the same physician repeats the study, or modifier 77 if a different physician repeats it. Document the clinical reason for the repeat (e.g., inadequate initial image quality, position change after reduction). Do not use modifier 91 — that modifier applies to laboratory tests only.

06Who qualifies to supervise and interpret 73552 in an IDTF?

CMS requires a board-certified radiologist or orthopedic surgeon for supervision and interpretation of 73552 in an IDTF. A general radiographer or medical physicist may perform the technical acquisition. This credentialing requirement is enforced at the individual IDTF level through Palmetto GBA provider enrollment.

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, projections performed (AP, lateral, oblique), the specific indication (e.g., femoral shaft fracture, periprosthetic fracture, lytic lesion), and laterality from the dictation. This prevents the two most common denials on 73552: missing LT/RT modifiers and ICD-10 mismatch where the diagnosis doesn't map to femur-specific imaging.

See how Mira captures CPT 73552 documentation