78428 Cardiac shunt imaging
Also known as: cardiac shunt study, shunt imaging
Cardiac shunt imaging performed to detect and quantify intracardiac or vascular shunts using nuclear medicine.
In Plain Language
heart shunt test; cardiac blood flow abnormality imaging
Clinical Context
Detects left-to-right and right-to-left cardiac shunts and quantifies shunt magnitude. Useful in congenital heart disease.
RVU Breakdown
| Work RVU | 0.76 |
| Total RVU | 0.76 |
Est. Medicare Payment
National estimate based on 2026 CMS PFS Conversion Factor ($33.40). Actual payment varies by locality (GPCI adjustment).
Billing & Documentation
Radiology codes require a written order, clinical indication, and a formal interpretation report. The professional component (modifier -26) and technical component (modifier -TC) may be billed separately.
How This Code Compares
With a work RVU of 0.76, this code ranks in the 47th percentile among Radiology codes — 1.1x below the median (0.81). The highest wRVU in this category is 11.57.
Specialties
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CPT code 78428?
CPT 78428 (Cardiac shunt imaging) is a Radiology code. Cardiac shunt imaging performed to detect and quantify intracardiac or vascular shunts using nuclear medicine.
Who uses CPT code 78428?
CPT 78428 is used by Nuclear Medicine, Cardiology, Radiology. Detects left-to-right and right-to-left cardiac shunts and quantifies shunt magnitude. Useful in congenital heart disease.
When is CPT 78428 used?
Detects left-to-right and right-to-left cardiac shunts and quantifies shunt magnitude. Useful in congenital heart disease.
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CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. Data sourced from CMS Physician Fee Schedule RVU26A. Descriptions, synonyms, and clinical context are original content by RVU Edge.