Neck Imaging Guidelines

This policy covers neck imaging including ultrasound (CPT 76536) and advanced modalities (CT, MR, and nuclear medicine — typically CT Neck with contrast, CPT 70491, with 4D CT CPT 70492 for parathyroid localization) for evaluation of common neck presentations such as dysphagia, neck mass/adenopathy, thyroid and parathyroid disorders, salivary gland disease, recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, laryngeal/tracheal pathology, and neck pain. Advanced imaging generally requires a prior pertinent clinical evaluation (history/physical, appropriate labs and basic imaging such as radiography or ultrasound) unless performed as guideline-supported surveillance, atypical presentations require physician review, coverage is limited to specified anatomic regions (skull base, nasopharynx, upper oral cavity to head of clavicle, parotids, supraclavicular), and CT without contrast is usually discouraged except in select indications (eg, 4D CT for parathyroid).

"Neck Pain (Neck-10)"