CPT® Code 76981

The CPT® Code 76981 refers to a specialized ultrasound procedure known as elastography, which is utilized to assess the elastic properties of soft tissues, particularly the parenchyma of organs or lesions located within these soft tissues. Parenchymal tissue constitutes the primary functional cells of an organ, making this imaging technique vital for diagnosing various conditions affecting organs such as the liver, breast, thyroid, prostate, and muscles. Elastography employs different ultrasound techniques to generate both qualitative and quantitative images that map the elasticity of the target tissue. One common method, strain elastography, utilizes real-time two-dimensional visualization to create an elastographic map by applying low-frequency compression through a handheld ultrasound transducer or by leveraging physiological movements, such as breathing or pulsation, to induce tissue displacement. This technique is predominantly used in musculoskeletal imaging. Another method, acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography, involves the internal excitation of tissue via a focused ultrasound pulse, resulting in a qualitative color-coded or gray-scale representation of tissue stiffness. ARFI is particularly effective for deep-tissue imaging, including assessments of the liver, thyroid, and breast. Additionally, shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) generates images by measuring the sideways propagation of ultrasound waves produced by the transducer, making it suitable for deep-tissue evaluations. A variant of SWEI, known as transient vibration controlled elastography, employs short bursts of vibration specifically for imaging the liver. The CPT® Code 76981 is designated for the evaluation of a parenchymal organ and any specific lesions within that organ, while codes 76982 and 76983 are used for the evaluation of specific soft tissue lesions and additional target lesions, respectively.