A complete list of ultrasound CPT codes by body region, plus the complete-vs-limited billing rule that causes the most claim denials.
Almost every body region imaged by ultrasound has two versions of its CPT code - "complete" and "limited" - and the difference between them is the single most common source of ultrasound claim denials and audit exposure. Bill the complete code for what was actually a focused, single-organ exam, and a payer will downcode it. Bill the limited code for a full survey, and the practice leaves reimbursement on the table. This guide walks through the ultrasound CPT codes you'll use most by body region, the complete-vs-limited rule that governs nearly all of them, and the modifiers that determine how a claim gets paid.
Ultrasound CPT Codes by Body Region
Diagnostic ultrasound CPT codes fall in the 76506–76999 range, maintained by the American Medical Association, and are organized by anatomical region:
Some regions don't follow the complete/limited pattern and instead have a single dedicated code:
The Complete vs. Limited Rule: How to Choose Correctly
The "complete" code requires that all the specific elements defined by the AMA for that exam be documented and imaged - for a complete abdominal ultrasound, that means the liver, gallbladder, common bile duct, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, and upper abdominal aorta and IVC, to the extent technically feasible. If even one required element is missing from the report without a documented reason (like prior surgical absence of an organ), bill the exam as limited instead, even if the intent was a complete study. The limited code is used when the exam is intentionally focused on one organ or a specific clinical question - a follow-up scan of a single previously identified mass, for example - not simply when fewer elements happen to be visualized during an attempted complete exam.
Vascular and Extremity Ultrasound Codes
Patients undergoing repeat vascular duplex studies for conditions like peripheral artery disease often represent exactly the kind of longitudinal relationship covered in our CPT code G2211 billing and reimbursement guide - ongoing management of a single, complex condition over time, regardless of speciality.
Don't Confuse Diagnostic Ultrasound With Therapeutic Ultrasound
One mix-up worth flagging directly: therapeutic ultrasound - the modality used in physical therapy to promote tissue healing with a handheld transducer - is billed under CPT 97035, an entirely different code family from diagnostic imaging ultrasound. It's timed, billed under Medicare's 8-minute rule, and unrelated to the 76506–76999 diagnostic codes above. Coding staff cross-covering both radiology and rehab billing are the most likely to mix these up.
Modifiers That Matter for Ultrasound Billing
- Modifier 26 - Indicates the professional component only (the physician's interpretation and written report), used when the technical component is billed separately by a different entity.
- Modifier TC - Indicates the technical component only (equipment, supplies, and sonographer time).
- Modifier 52 - Indicates a reduced service, used in specific cases like an incomplete transvaginal study where no corresponding limited code exists.
- Modifier 76 / 77 - Indicates a repeat procedure by the same physician (76) or a different physician (77) on the same day.
- RT / LT - Used for paired structures where laterality needs to be specified.
Because bundling edits between related ultrasound codes are reviewed periodically, always check the current CMS National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits before billing two ultrasound codes for the same encounter, and use the CMS Physician Fee Schedule Look-up Tool to confirm current Medicare rates for the professional and technical components separately.
Common Ultrasound CPT Code Mistakes to Avoid
- Billing "complete" when a required element is missing from the documentation without a valid clinical reason
- Billing "limited" for what was actually a full survey, undercoding the service
- Confusing diagnostic ultrasound codes with therapeutic ultrasound (97035), especially in multi-speciality practices
- Missing modifier 26 or TC when the professional and technical components are billed by different entities
- Billing two overlapping ultrasound codes for the same encounter without confirming current bundling edits first
Practices coordinating imaging follow-up as part of a patient's discharge plan should also review how to prepare for a CMS CCM audit, since documentation habits that protect an ultrasound claim tend to be the same ones payers check during a broader care management review. Circle Health's Transitional Care Manager overview explains how that post-discharge coordination role works when follow-up imaging is part of the plan.
Where Ultrasound Billing Connects to Broader Chronic Care Management
Circle Health doesn't perform or bill diagnostic ultrasound studies itself - that stays with the imaging or ordering provider under the codes above. But ultrasound is often part of a larger care pattern for patients Circle Health's programs already support: a diabetic patient getting a renal or vascular ultrasound to monitor complications, or a patient discharged after a cardiovascular event needing a follow-up abdominal aortic study. Our overview of 15 common chronic illness examples and how they're managed long-term covers how these imaging needs typically arise alongside the same chronic conditions that qualify for Circle Health's Chronic Care Management (CCM) and Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) programs. For patients scanned shortly after a hospital discharge, our ICD-10 codes for transition of care guide covers pairing the diagnosis coding correctly.
Conclusion
Ultrasound CPT coding comes down to one recurring decision, repeated across nearly every body region: does the documentation support a complete exam, or should you bill it as limited? Get that distinction right, keep diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound coding separate, and apply modifier 26/TC correctly whenever components are split between entities, and most ultrasound denials become preventable.
CMS and the AMA review ultrasound CPT codes and NCCI bundling edits regularly, so treat this guide as a starting reference rather than the final word. Always verify current codes and documentation requirements against the latest CMS and AMA publications, and loop in your billing team or a certified coder whenever a study doesn't fit neatly into the categories above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CPT code range for ultrasound?
Diagnostic ultrasound CPT codes generally fall between 76506 and 76999, organised by anatomical region, with most regions having separate "complete" and "limited" versions of the code.
What's the difference between a complete and limited ultrasound CPT code?
The complete code requires documentation and imaging of all AMA-defined elements for that exam. If any required element is missing without a valid clinical reason, or the exam was intentionally focused on a single area, the limited code applies instead.
What CPT code is used for an abdominal ultrasound?
Use 76700 for a complete abdominal ultrasound, and 76705 for a limited abdominal ultrasound focused on one organ or a specific clinical question.
Is therapeutic ultrasound billed the same way as diagnostic ultrasound?
No. Therapeutic ultrasound, used in physical therapy, is billed under CPT 97035 and follows Medicare's 8-minute timed-code rule. Diagnostic imaging ultrasound uses an entirely separate set of codes in the 76506–76999 range.
When should modifier 26 or TC be used on an ultrasound claim?
Use modifier 26 when you bill only the physician's professional interpretation, and use modifier TC when you bill only the technical component-equipment and sonographer time-typically when the two are performed or owned by different entities.
How can Circle Health help?
While Circle Health doesn't perform or bill diagnostic ultrasound studies directly, its AI-powered care management platform runs compliant, revenue-generating chronic care programmes-including CCM, RPM, PCM, BHI, and TCM-for the same patients whose chronic conditions are often being monitored or diagnosed through the ultrasound studies described in this guide.