Which payers have published criteria for MR angiography spinal canal (CPT 72159)?

The imaging guidelines used by Aetna, Anthem BCBS, Cigna, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare include criteria that apply to this study. Whether a specific patient's plan requires prior authorization depends on the plan, so confirm on the payer's portal or by phone before scheduling.

Who reviews prior authorization requests for MR angiography spinal canal (CPT 72159)?

Most commercial payers hand imaging reviews to a radiology benefit manager. For the payers tracked here, requests are reviewed using guidelines from eviCore, Carelon, CMS, UnitedHealthcare / eviCore. The request is submitted through that organization's portal rather than the health plan's general line.

What should be in the clinical notes before requesting MR angiography spinal canal (CPT 72159)?

Reviewers look for a recent office visit that documents the symptoms and how long they have lasted, exam findings, results of any earlier imaging, treatments already tried and how the patient responded, and the specific question the study is expected to answer. The diagnosis code on the request should match what the notes describe.

How much does MR angiography spinal canal (CPT 72159) cost?

Across 491 hospitals that publish their negotiated rates, the median commercial insurance rate is $1,139, with the middle half of rates between $682 and $1,957. A patient's own cost depends on their plan, deductible and where the study is done.

What can be done if MR angiography spinal canal (CPT 72159) is denied?

Read the denial letter for the stated reason, then request a peer-to-peer conversation between the ordering clinician and the reviewing physician, which often resolves missing-information denials. If that fails, file a written appeal that answers the stated reason directly and attach the supporting notes. The denial letter lists the deadline and where to send the appeal.

CPT 72159: MR angiography spinal canal - Prior Authorization and Price

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CPT 72159

MRI angiography of the spinal canal's blood vessels performed without and with dye.

MRA Spine

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Payer guidelines that apply

Payer	Reviewed using	Guideline	Sections
Aetna	eviCore	Spine Imaging Guidelines 2.0.2026, effective Sep 1, 2026 Pediatric and Special Populations Spine Imaging Guidelines 1.0.2026, effective Feb 3, 2026	2 that name this code
Anthem BCBS	Carelon	Current guideline	10 for this type of study
Cigna	eviCore	Spine Imaging Guidelines 2.0.2026, effective Sep 1, 2026 Pediatric and Special Populations Spine Imaging Guidelines 1.0.2026, effective Feb 3, 2026	2 that name this code
Medicare	CMS	NCD 220.2: Magnetic Resonance Imaging effective Apr 10, 2018	1 that name this code
Original Medicare does not run a prior authorization program for outpatient imaging; claims are judged against the coverage policies above. Medicare Advantage plans set their own prior authorization rules.
UnitedHealthcare	UnitedHealthcare / eviCore	Commercial and Exchange Cardiovascular and Radiology Imaging Guidelines 09.2026, effective Sep 1, 2026	2 that name this code

Guidelines collected from the payers' published documents on September 29, 2026. Payers revise these documents during the year. Open the guideline link to confirm the current version before you submit.

Conditions the guidelines address for this study

These are the clinical situations where payer guidelines discuss MR angiography spinal canal. Each has its own criteria for when the study is considered appropriate.

Imaging Techniques Aetna · Cigna · UnitedHealthcare
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Medicare

Anthem BCBS: conditions by body area

Anthem BCBS's guideline is organized by condition instead of procedure code. These are the conditions it lists for MRA of the spine. Not all of them apply to this exact study.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (Pediatric only)
Multiple sclerosis or other white matter disease
Myelopathy
Paget disease
Pain and Radiculopathy
Spinal cord infarction
Spinal dysraphism and tethered cord
Spinal infection
Spontaneous (idiopathic) intracranial hypotension (SIH)
Syringomyelia

Typical price

Commercial insurance, median

$1,139

Middle half of rates: $682 to $1,957

Medicare, physician fee schedule

$339

National, non-facility

Commercial figures come from negotiated rates published by 491 hospitals; Medicare figures from CMS fee schedules. Rates vary widely by hospital and plan. Pricing data from CenterIQ.

Get notified when the rules for this study change

Payers update imaging guidelines several times a year. We will email you when the criteria for MR angiography spinal canal change.

CPT 72159: MR angiography spinal canal - Prior Authorization and Price

Payer guidelines that apply

Conditions the guidelines address for this study

Anthem BCBS: conditions by body area

Typical price

Get notified when the rules for this study change

Frequently asked questions

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CPT 72159: MR angiography spinal canal - Prior Authorization and Price

Payer guidelines that apply

Conditions the guidelines address for this study

Anthem BCBS: conditions by body area

Typical price

Get notified when the rules for this study change

Frequently asked questions

Related studies

Imaging CPT Code Coverage Lookup

Quick Access - Common Imaging CPT Codes

CT

MRI

MRA

PET