CPT
70450 — CT scan of head/brain without contrast
Same scan can cost 5x more at a hospital than at an imaging center.
Imaging
70486 — CT maxillofacial area; without contrast material
A CT scan of the facial area including the sinuses, jaw, cheekbones, and surrounding structures performed without injecting contrast dye.
- Typical setting: Hospital, imaging center
- National avg charge (illustrative): $150–$350 Medicare allowed; $200–$700 commercial; varies by region
- Most-disputed reason: Billing 70486 (without contrast) when contrast was actually used — use 70487 for with contrast or 70488 for both without and with contrast
What it means
What 70486 actually means
A CT scan of the facial area including the sinuses, jaw, cheekbones, and surrounding structures performed without injecting contrast dye. It is commonly ordered to evaluate chronic sinusitis, facial fractures, or dental/jaw abnormalities.
Common errors with this code
What goes wrong on real bills.
Most bills that look correct still contain at least one of these issues. Up to 49% of medical bills contain errors (CFPB).
- Billing 70486 (without contrast) when contrast was actually used — use 70487 for with contrast or 70488 for both without and with contrast
- Confusing 70486 (maxillofacial CT) with 70480 (CT orbit) or 70490 (CT soft tissue neck) — site specificity matters
- Billing both 70486 and 76376/76377 (3D rendering) add-on codes without documentation that a separate 3D reconstruction was performed and interpreted
If you see 70486 on your bill
Three steps before paying.
1. Get the itemized bill. If your statement only shows a summary, request the CPT-level itemized bill before paying. Generate the request language →
2. Cross-check against the EOB. Compare what your insurer's Explanation of Benefits says you owe versus what the hospital is asking. They disagree more often than people think. Read the bill-vs-EOB guide →
3. Run a free Bill Scan. Upload the bill (and EOB if you have it) and BillBusted will flag the most likely issues with this specific code in your specific state. Run free scan →
Related codes
Other codes in this category.
People who land on 70486 often also see these adjacent codes on the same bill.
CPT
70470 — CT head/brain with and without contrast
If contrast wasn't given, 70470 is the wrong code.
CPT
70551 — MRI brain without contrast
Same scan can be 5x cheaper at a freestanding imaging center.
CPT
71045 — Chest X-ray, single view
Same image can cost 10x more at a hospital than a freestanding imaging center.
CPT
71046 — Chest X-ray, two views (PA + lateral)
Two-view CXR is standard. Watch the price gap between hospital and freestanding.
CPT
71250 — CT thorax ; without contrast material
Imaging — verify professional + technical components weren't double-billed.
Related BillBusted guides
Plain-English reads if you see 70486 on a bill.
70486 FAQ
Plain-English answers.
What does 70486 usually cost?
$150–$350 Medicare allowed; $200–$700 commercial; varies by region. Costs vary by region, payer contract, and whether the service was performed in a hospital outpatient department (which adds a facility fee) versus a free-standing clinic.
What's the most common billing error on 70486?
Billing 70486 (without contrast) when contrast was actually used — use 70487 for with contrast or 70488 for both without and with contrast
What should I do if I see 70486 on my bill?
Request the itemized bill and the matching EOB from your insurer. Compare the units/quantity billed against what you actually received. Run a free BillBusted scan to flag the most likely errors specific to 70486 before paying.
Don't pay 70486 blindly.
The free scan tells you in under 60 seconds whether this charge looks reasonable for your situation.