MRI Safety Resources

MRI Safety CPT Codes: What They Are and How They’re Used

As of 2025, dedicated CPT codes recognize the added work of MRI safety assessment for patients with implants or retained foreign bodies — creating a clearer framework for documentation and reimbursement.

CPT 76014–76019Updated for 20258 min read

MRI safety work for patients with implants or retained foreign bodies often requires substantially more effort than routine MRI screening. That can include identifying the exact device, reviewing manufacturer conditions, documenting MRI restrictions, determining whether risk is acceptable, adjusting scan parameters, or preparing the implant before imaging.

As of 2025, dedicated CPT codes now recognize that added work. These codes are intended for cases where the MRI safety team performs work beyond routine MRI screening for patients with implants or foreign bodies that create elevated MRI safety concerns.

For imaging departments, that matters for two reasons:

  • It creates a clearer framework for documenting complex MRI safety work.
  • It opens the door to more consistent reimbursement for work that was often previously absorbed into workflow without being captured.

NordInsight helps teams handle this seamlessly by structuring implant review, documentation, decision support, and reporting in one workflow.

Definition

What are MRI safety CPT codes?

MRI safety CPT codes are a set of codes designed to report the extra clinical and technical work involved in preparing certain patients with implants or foreign bodies for MRI. They are not meant for routine screening performed on every MRI patient. They apply when the case requires added assessment, additional time, a physician or QHP risk determination, protocol customization, device preparation, or implant immobilization.

The codes explained

CPT 76014 through 76019

Six codes cover the full arc of complex MRI safety work — from the first assessment to same-day device preparation. Jump to any code:

760147601576016760177601876019
CPT 76014

MRI safety implant or foreign body assessment, first 15 minutes

This code is used for the initial work of assessing an implant or foreign body, typically performed by an MR technologist. It generally includes tasks such as:

  • collecting implant details from the patient
  • verifying device information
  • reviewing manufacturer MRI conditions
  • determining whether the MRI can be performed under specific conditions
  • documenting the findings in the medical record

This is a time-based code covering the first 15 minutes of assessment work. The AJNR guide notes it can be reported once the midpoint has been passed.

Typical use case
A technologist researches a spinal stimulator or bladder stimulator before the exam, verifies the model, checks the manufacturer’s MRI conditions, and documents the scan requirements.
CPT 76015

Additional MRI safety assessment time, each additional 30 minutes

This code is an add-on to 76014 when the assessment takes longer due to complexity. According to the AJNR guide:

  • 76015 is used only after 76014
  • it represents additional 30-minute increments
  • it may be reported up to three times in an appropriate case
  • intended for prolonged assessment: multiple implants, incomplete documentation, or difficult record retrieval
Typical use case
A patient has incomplete implant records, outside documentation has to be retrieved, or multiple devices need to be researched and reconciled before MRI.
CPT 76016

MRI safety determination by a radiologist or other qualified healthcare professional

Used when the case requires a formal risk-benefit determination by a radiologist or MRI safety-trained QHP. Not for routine cases — intended for situations where:

  • MRI conditions are unclear
  • the implant may make the exam contraindicated or unusually risky
  • there is still reasonable possibility MRI could provide important clinical value
  • alternative diagnostic options must be weighed

Documentation should include the clinical scenario, risk-benefit analysis, alternative diagnostic tests, and recommendations to mitigate risk. In some cases, 76016 may result in a recommendation not to scan.

Typical use case
A radiologist reviews a complex implant scenario, ballistic fragment, abandoned lead, or unclear MRI labeling and determines whether MRI should proceed, under what conditions, or whether alternative imaging is safer.
CPT 76017

MRI examination customization for safety reasons

Used when the MRI protocol must be customized to address implant-related safety concerns. Typically involves a medical physicist and/or MRI safety expert working with the supervising physician. Applies when scan parameters must be adjusted to comply with implant conditions while preserving diagnostic quality.

  • this code is not time-based
  • applies to protocol customization performed because of the MRI safety concern
  • documentation must support the customization work and rationale
Typical use case
A patient with a neurostimulator or abandoned lead requires restricted scan parameters and customized MRI conditions based on a medical physics review.
CPT 76018

Preparation of implanted electronics for MRI on the day of the exam

Used when the MR team performs same-day preparation of an implanted electronic device, such as putting a device into MRI mode or adjusting settings per manufacturer instructions.

  • this code is not time-based
  • performed by the MR team under physician or QHP supervision
  • distinct from specialty services like cardiology device interrogation when performed independently
Typical use case
A cardiac implanted electronic device or neurostimulator must be placed in MRI-safe mode before the scan and returned appropriately afterward.
CPT 76019

Positioning or immobilization of an implant prior to MRI

Used when an implant must be positioned, stabilized, partially removed, or immobilized before MRI to meet safety requirements. Performed on the day of the exam under physician or QHP supervision. Documentation is required.

Typical use case
A cochlear implant requires immobilization before MRI according to manufacturer instructions.
Scope

When these codes should be used

These codes are meant for cases that require extra MRI safety work beyond standard workflow. They should not be used for routine MRI screening. They apply to cases involving implants or foreign bodies requiring added assessment, specialized documentation, or workflow modifications.

MR conditional implants with nonstandard precautions
implants without clear labeling
contraindicated or potentially contraindicated devices
complex device combinations
abandoned leads or retained foreign bodies
cases requiring physics input, same-day device prep, or immobilization
What’s required

Why documentation matters

A recurring theme in the AJNR guide is that documentation is essential. Reporting these codes requires the medical record to reflect:

  • what implant or foreign body was assessed
  • what work was performed
  • how long the assessment took when time-based codes are used
  • what risk analysis or clinical determination was made
  • what scan modifications, device preparation, or immobilization steps were performed

That is where many departments struggle. The work may already be happening, but the documentation can be fragmented across phone calls, PDFs, implant registries, scanner notes, and radiologist decisions.

The workflow

Where NordInsight fits

NordInsight helps MRI teams operationalize this process in a way that is structured, consistent, and scalable. With NordInsight, teams can:

  • document implant assessments in a standardized workflow
  • centralize implant and device information
  • capture evidence and scan conditions more clearly
  • support radiologist or QHP review for higher-risk cases
  • generate cleaner documentation for CPT-related workflows
  • build a stronger audit trail around implant research, decisions, and reporting

Instead of treating CPT-related documentation as an extra administrative layer, NordInsight makes it part of the MRI safety workflow itself.

Reimbursement

See your potential reimbursement upside

Request a custom ROI report to estimate how much reimbursement your organization could capture with a more structured MRI safety CPT workflow.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What are the MRI safety CPT codes 76014 through 76019?+

Introduced in 2025, these six CPT codes describe additional work associated with assessing and managing MRI safety concerns involving implants or retained foreign bodies.

Codes 76014 through 76016 generally relate to assessment and planning before the MRI examination. Codes 76017 through 76019 describe specialized work that may be performed on the day of the examination.

Are these codes intended for routine MRI screening?+

No. These codes are intended for cases requiring additional MRI safety work beyond routine patient screening.

The appropriate code depends on the work actually performed, the professionals involved, the time spent when applicable, the documentation created, and the requirements of the payer.

What does CPT 76014 cover?+

CPT 76014 describes the initial 15 minutes of an MRI safety implant or foreign body assessment performed by trained clinical staff.

The work may include identifying and verifying implant components, reviewing manufacturer MRI conditions, identifying contraindications or restrictions, communicating implant-specific instructions, and creating a written summary in the medical record.

This is a time-based, technical component-only code and does not include physician work.

What does CPT 76015 cover?+

CPT 76015 is an add-on code for each additional 30 minutes of MRI safety assessment work after the time covered by 76014.

It may be relevant when an assessment is prolonged because an implant is complex, there are multiple implants, or the available device information is incomplete.

CPT 76015 should only be reported with 76014 and may be reported up to three times per encounter when the required additional time is met and documented.

What does CPT 76016 cover?+

CPT 76016 describes an MRI safety determination performed by the physician or other qualified healthcare professional responsible for the safety of the MRI procedure.

It is intended for nonroutine situations in which the MRI requirements are unclear, the implant or foreign body creates additional risk, or the diagnostic value of the examination may be affected.

The work may include reviewing the clinical situation, consulting a medical physicist, considering ways to reduce risk, performing a risk-benefit analysis, and documenting recommendations in a written report.

What does CPT 76017 cover?+

CPT 76017 describes medical physics customization of the MRI examination for safety reasons.

It may apply when an implant requires changes to the planned examination, such as adjustments related to radiofrequency exposure, scanning parameters, or implant-related artefacts. The service involves interactive work among the medical physicist or MRI safety expert, the radiologist, and the MRI technologist.

What does CPT 76018 cover?+

CPT 76018 describes preparation of implant electronics for the MRI examination.

It may apply when an electronic implant must be programmed or placed into an appropriate mode in the MRI suite on the day of the examination. The code accounts for the additional work and care required while the patient's device is in an altered therapeutic state.

What does CPT 76019 cover?+

CPT 76019 describes implant positioning or immobilization required for MRI safety.

It may apply when manufacturer instructions require an implant to be positioned, stabilized, partially removed, or immobilized before or during the examination.

Can more than one MRI safety CPT code be reported for the same patient?+

Potentially. CPT 76017, 76018, and 76019 describe separate services and may be reported together when each service is required, performed, and appropriately documented.

CPT 76015 is different because it is an add-on code and should only be reported with 76014.

The final code selection should reflect the actual services performed and should be confirmed against current CPT guidance and payer requirements.

Who performs the work described by these codes?+

CPT 76014 and 76015 describe technical assessment work performed by trained clinical staff and do not include physician work.

CPT 76016 describes an MRI safety determination by the responsible physician or other qualified healthcare professional. CPT 76017 through 76019 include physician work together with the relevant clinical and technical staff.

Staff qualifications, supervision, and billing arrangements may vary by service, care setting, and payer.

What documentation should be maintained?+

Documentation should clearly reflect the MRI safety work performed. Depending on the service, this may include:

• The implant or foreign body being assessed

• The source information reviewed

• Relevant MRI conditions and restrictions

• Time spent on time-based assessment services

• The professionals involved

• Risk-benefit findings or recommendations

• Examination customizations

• Device preparation

• Positioning or immobilization requirements

• The final outcome or decision

Organizations should confirm their documentation requirements with their coding, compliance, and payer teams.

Does using a CPT code guarantee reimbursement?+

No. The existence or use of a CPT code does not guarantee coverage or payment.

Reimbursement depends on factors such as the payer, care setting, medical necessity, staff qualifications, supervision, documentation, contractual terms, and applicable coding policies. Each organization should verify requirements with its coding and compliance teams and with the relevant payer.

How can NordInsight support MRI safety documentation?+

NordInsight helps teams keep implant identification, manufacturer information, MRI conditions, assessment details, local context, and decision documentation connected in one structured workflow.

This can support more complete documentation of the work performed. NordInsight does not determine whether a service is billable, select the final CPT code on behalf of the provider, replace professional coding judgment, or guarantee reimbursement.

Last reviewed: July 2026.

This information is provided for general educational purposes. It does not replace the current CPT codebook, AMA guidance, payer policies, or advice from qualified coding, compliance, legal, or clinical professionals. CPT is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.

Implant safety and CPT-ready documentation, in one MRI safety workflow.

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