~9,000
Median wRVUs / yr
Reading volume across modalities — X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, mammography — with current CMS wRVUs, professional vs. global splits, and a tracker that handles diagnostic and interventional workflows.
Compensation and productivity benchmarks pulled from public physician surveys and the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.
The codes that drive the bulk of radiology billing, with current Work RVU values from the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Use these as a baseline — locality (GPCI) and modifiers adjust the final payment.
| Code | Description | wRVU | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 71046 | Chest X-ray, 2 views | 0.22 | Diagnostic |
| 70450 | CT head / brain without contrast | 0.85 | Diagnostic |
| 74176 | CT abdomen and pelvis without contrast | 1.74 | Diagnostic |
| 74177 | CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 1.82 | Diagnostic |
| 73721 | MRI lower extremity joint without contrast | 1.35 | Diagnostic |
| 70551 | MRI brain without contrast | 1.48 | Diagnostic |
| 76700 | Abdominal ultrasound, complete | 0.81 | Diagnostic |
| 76536 | Soft tissue head/neck ultrasound, real-time | 0.56 | Diagnostic |
| 76870 | Scrotal ultrasound | 0.64 | Diagnostic |
| 77067 | Screening mammography, bilateral | 0.76 | Diagnostic |
| 77065 | Diagnostic mammography, unilateral | 0.81 | Diagnostic |
| 76882 | Limited extremity ultrasound, non-vascular | 0.69 | Diagnostic |
Source: 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (CMS). Values reflect the national, unadjusted Work RVU.
Where radiology productivity falls across the percentile distribution. Most RVU-based contracts target the median (50th percentile); high-volume practices push into the 75th-90th range.
MGMA-aligned 2024 estimates. Verify with your group's data source for contract negotiations.
Typical total compensation ranges across a radiology career. Numbers blend salary, RVU productivity, and bonus components reported in physician surveys.
First 1-3 years out of training. Base-heavy contracts; productivity bonuses begin to ramp.
Years 4-10. RVU-based comp dominates as case volume settles into a steady pattern.
10+ years, partnership track, ASC ownership, or high-volume practice settings.
Ranges synthesized from Doximity 2024 and AMGA / MGMA-aligned compensation reports. Actual offers vary by region, practice setting, and case mix.
Most RVU tools were built for one type of day. RVU Tracker handles the mix of clinic, procedures, and inpatient work that actually shows up on a radiology schedule.
Save your most-used codes as quick-add buttons. Log a visit in seconds between patients.
Add multiple codes per encounter; the tracker sums correctly with MPPR awareness when relevant.
Tag clinic vs. procedure days and see productivity per session. Decide where to add capacity.
Every code ships with current Work RVU values. Year-over-year updates roll out automatically.
Set your wRVU threshold. The tracker shows monthly pace and projects year-end totals.
Plug in your conversion factor and see real-time earnings. Compare offers during contract review.
A few high-leverage details that quietly cost RVUs (and revenue) when missed.
If you read at a hospital that owns the equipment, append -26 (professional component) for your wRVU-bearing portion. Outpatient imaging centers often bill global. Tracker should distinguish so credited wRVUs match actual work.
When billing multiple imaging studies from the same family on the same day, the second and subsequent studies pay reduced PE RVU. wRVUs aren't reduced — only practice expense — but the cumulative payment effect matters for global billing.
Interventional procedures (e.g., 49405 image-guided biopsy, 36901 dialysis access) carry meaningfully higher wRVUs than diagnostic reads. IR-heavy practices benchmark differently than diagnostic-only.
Comparing today's study to a prior is part of the current read — not separately billable. Re-reads or addended interpretations on previously billed studies shouldn't generate new wRVU credit.
2026 CMS data pre-loaded for every code. Designed for the cadence of a real radiology day.