Coming soon – CPT 2026: Major Radiology & Interventional Coding Updates. The 2026 CPT code set includes the most extensive Radiology and Interventional coding updates in years. These CPT code updates will significantly impact clinical documentation, coding workflows, and billing systems.
Lower Extremity Revascularization: Complete Code Restructure
The current 16 CPT codes for lower extremity revascularization (37220–37235) will be deleted and replaced with 46 new codes (37XX1-37X46) organized by vascular territory:
- Iliac
- Femoral and Popliteal
- Tibial and Peroneal
- Inframalleolar
Action Items
- Physicians and coders – become familiar with the new territorial code structure and the documentation to support medical necessity.
- Hospitals, ASCs, and OBLs – ensure EMR, pre-auth and billing systems are fully updated to avoid revenue cycle disruption.
Additional 2026 Imaging Code Changes
- CTA Head & Neck: Two codes will be consolidated into one to reflect current imaging practices.
- CT Cerebral Perfusion (CTP): Category III code 0042T will be deleted and replaced with a new Category I code.
- New Thoracic Branch Endograft Codes: Introduced to capture evolving procedural techniques.
🔗 Access the ACR’s Full Summary of Anticipated Changes:
ACR – CPT 2026 Anticipated Code Changes (PDF)
Final Takeaways
- Start preparing now for CPT 2026: Review case volumes and documentation patterns against these coding updates.
- Update systems and workflows: Templates, charge masters, fee schedules, and pre-auth data must be aligned.
- Educate your teams: Physicians, coders, and billing staff must be trained on vascular territory coding and documentation once the information is available.
- Monitor payer enforcement of geographic policies and push back when denials are based on unpublished or non-standard criteria.
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