Radiological supervision and interpretation of a catheter-based thoracic aortogram done with serial imaging to capture contrast flow over time.
- Medicare
- $120.91
- Work RVU
- 1.11
- Global, days
- Region
- Other
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 3 cited references ↓
- Indication for the study
- Serial imaging technique documented
- Catheter placement in a separate procedure note
- Contrast agent and volume
- Signed interpretation
Applicable modifiers
Modifiers commonly billed with this code.
Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual
What this code covers
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 3 cited references ↓
75605 is the supervision and interpretation for thoracic aortography by serialography, meaning a series of rapid images that show contrast moving through the aorta. Like 75600, this belongs to interventional radiology and vascular surgery. An orthopedic practice does not bill it.
Ortho staff may run into it in trauma care, where a patient with a thoracic spine fracture, sternal fracture, or major chest wall injury undergoes catheter imaging of the aorta. Today most centers use CT angiography first, so catheter aortography usually happens only when CTA is equivocal or an endovascular repair is planned.
Only one of 75600 or 75605 is billed for a given study. The catheter placement is a separate code. When the aortogram is done as part of an endovascular aortic repair, the imaging is generally bundled into the repair. If you are reviewing a trauma claim and see this code under an orthopedic NPI, it is a charge entry error.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
Work RVU vs. total RVU
The work RVU (1.11) is the surgeon's own effort — the figure physician pay and productivity targets are built on. The total RVU (3.62) adds practice overhead and malpractice, and is what drives the Medicare payment below.
| Work RVU | 1.11 |
| Practice expense RVU | 2.37 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0.14 |
| Total RVU | 3.62 |
| Medicare national rate | $120.91 |
| 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 | $120.91 |
HOPD (APC 5184) Hospital outpatient department | $5,685.01 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 75605 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Billed with 75600 for the same study
- Billed with an endovascular repair that includes the imaging
- Catheter placement code missing
- Billed under the wrong provider
- Serial technique not documented
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓
01Can 75600 and 75605 be billed together?
02Who bills 75605?
03Is serialography still used for thoracic aortography?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.
Mira Scribe
Mira Scribe notes capture the injury pattern in trauma consults, giving the care team a clear record of why aortic imaging was pursued.
See how Mira captures CPT 75605 documentation