Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) CT scan (without contrast) cost at US hospitals

CT lumbar spine without contrast · CPT 72131

What is Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) CT scan (without contrast)? Read the full explainer →

Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) CT scan (without contrast)

A CT of the lower back, with no dye, showing the lumbar vertebrae and the bony canals the nerves pass through. It is chosen over an MRI when bone is the question — a fracture, a graft, a screw — or when an MRI is not an option. It lasts a few minutes and involves no injection.

$107.40

lowest cash price

$1,468.80

national median

$14,219.39

highest cash price

911

hospitals with a published cash price

Middle half of hospitals (25th–75th percentile) against the full range. The same procedure varies $107.40–$14,219.39 — the variation is the story.

Cheapest published cash price

$107.40

UPMC Western Maryland — Cumberland, MD

Most expensive published cash price

$14,219.39

HCA FLORIDA SOUTH TAMPA HOSPITAL — Tampa, FL

Median cash price over time

Sep 1, 2025 ($1,382.10) → Sep 1, 2026 ($1,554.00)

By state

State Hospitals Lowest cash Median Highest
Alaska 5 $1,773.72 $2,506.14 $3,532.62
Arizona 23 $266.57 $469.33 $2,935.36
Arkansas 11 $526.65 $1,450.15 $2,570.00
California 90 $712.18 $2,387.31 $5,683.95
Colorado 17 $305.94 $5,672.28 $5,672.28
Florida 68 $596.70 $4,241.10 $14,219.39
Georgia 25 $884.75 $1,610.70 $10,442.21
Hawaii 2 $718.08 $718.08 $1,597.50
Illinois 51 $500.28 $2,161.16 $3,577.20
Indiana 26 $481.12 $699.50 $3,438.88
Iowa 31 $685.79 $1,517.10 $4,083.00
Kansas 11 $1,204.40 $4,947.46 $11,003.16
Kentucky 26 $583.77 $2,088.60 $4,361.58
Louisiana 1 $399.36 $399.36 $399.36
Maine 7 $1,267.40 $1,430.20 $2,649.25
Maryland 2 $107.40 $107.40 $107.40
Michigan 27 $143.75 $1,151.00 $2,401.00
Minnesota 19 $431.81 $1,854.40 $2,592.00
Mississippi 11 $207.68 $755.63 $960.44
Missouri 20 $815.10 $880.00 $4,902.08
Montana 2 $1,148.80 $1,148.80 $1,314.40
Nebraska 13 $714.84 $1,177.50 $2,670.70
Nevada 4 $997.15 $1,382.93 $1,929.36
New Hampshire 1 $2,107.70 $2,107.70 $2,107.70
New Jersey 21 $116.22 $434.08 $732.15
New Mexico 2 $2,094.12 $2,094.12 $2,094.12
New York 23 $125.84 $125.84 $3,358.00
North Carolina 15 $1,327.00 $1,504.05 $2,775.00
North Dakota 4 $1,284.00 $1,468.80 $2,568.80
Ohio 68 $477.10 $1,099.20 $2,529.00
Oklahoma 17 $843.69 $1,557.40 $4,180.55
Oregon 13 $175.50 $911.04 $2,134.50
Pennsylvania 33 $286.00 $876.00 $2,937.00
South Carolina 11 $765.00 $1,715.40 $6,771.00
South Dakota 7 $1,950.40 $2,376.00 $2,652.00
Tennessee 38 $507.92 $598.62 $11,987.34
Texas 112 $434.94 $2,054.79 $13,925.72
Virginia 43 $422.70 $1,447.80 $9,606.00
Washington 32 $444.00 $1,204.76 $1,844.70
West Virginia 17 $296.00 $892.00 $1,789.80
Wisconsin 33 $369.36 $1,470.00 $3,187.15
Wyoming 4 $642.18 $1,875.60 $2,147.56

All hospitals

Hospital Location Cash price Negotiated range
Mercy Hospital Ozark River Ozark, AR $1,450.15 $94.70 – $958.22
Mercy Hospital Paris Academy Paris, AR $1,450.15 $94.70 – $958.22
Mercy Hospital Waldron Waldron, AR $1,450.15 $94.70 – $958.22
Mercy Hospital Boonville Booneville, AR $1,450.80 $94.70 – $958.22
Sanford Medical Center Hillsboro Hillsboro, ND $1,468.80 $352.55 – $1,652.40
Sanford Medical Center Mayville Mayville, ND $1,468.80 $352.55 – $1,652.40
Aurora Sinai Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora Baycare Medical Center Green Bay, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Bay Area Marinette, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Burlington Burlington, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Grafton Grafton, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Manitowoc Two Rivers, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Kenosha Kenosha, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Fond du Lac Fond Du Lac, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan County Sheboygan, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Summit Summit, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Washington County Hartford, WI $1,470.00 not published
Aurora West Allis Medical Center West Allis, WI $1,470.00 not published
Mercy Orthopedic Hospital Fort Smith Fort Smith, AR $1,472.25 $90.66 – $958.22
St. Elizabeth Hospital Enumclaw, WA $1,476.95 $255.63 – $3,761.72
Ascension Seton Edgar B. Davis (Ascension Seton) Luling, TX $1,482.21 $72.22 – $1,852.76
SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital - Fond du Lac Fond Du Lac, WI $1,495.45 $77.56 – $199.58
SSM Health Waupun Memorial Hospital Waupun, WI $1,495.45 $428.45 – $428.45
SSM Health Ripon Community Hospital Ripon, WI $1,495.45 $428.45 – $428.45
SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Baraboo Baraboo, WI $1,497.10 $76.16 – $1,391.34
MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines, IA $1,498.25 $98.68 – $2,305.00
Atrium Health Anson Wadesboro, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,857.70
Atrium Health Mercy Charlotte, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,767.45
Atrium Health Pineville Charlotte, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,767.45
Atrium Health Stanly Albermarle, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,887.78
Atrium Health Behavioral Health Charlotte Charlotte, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,647.13
Atrium Health Cleveland Shelby, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,857.70
Atrium Health Cabarrus Concord, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,857.70
Atrium Health Lincoln Lincolnton, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,857.70
Atrium Health Union Monroe, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,857.70
Carolinas Rehabilitation Charlotte Charlotte, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,767.45
Atrium Health University City Charlotte, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,767.45
Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Charlotte, NC $1,504.05 $43.99 – $2,707.29
MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center Dubuque, IA $1,507.35 $93.79 – $2,319.00
CHI Health Mercy Corning Corning, IA $1,508.16 $1,351.06 – $3,079.16
Advocate Sherman Hospital Elgin, IL $1,510.00 $160.73 – $2,718.00
MercyOne New Hampton Medical Center New Hampton, IA $1,517.10 $924.03 – $2,334.00
MercyOne Dyersville Medical Center Dyersville, IA $1,517.10 $882.25 – $2,627.15
MercyOne Oelwein Medical Center Oelwein, IA $1,517.10 $892.05 – $2,334.00
MercyOne Elkader Medical Center Elkader, IA $1,517.10 $1,201.31 – $2,439.50
MercyOne Newton Medical Center Newton, IA $1,517.10 $98.96 – $2,334.00
SAN JOAQUIN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Bakersfield, CA $1,526.10 $8.40 – $1,372.00
Mercy Hospital Berryville Berryville, AR $1,530.75 $90.66 – $958.22
Siena Hospital Henderson, NV $1,531.35 $56.17 – $4,654.74
CHI Health Missouri Valley Missouri Valley, IA $1,539.58 $1,099.70 – $3,079.16

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