Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) MRI (with and without contrast) cost at US hospitals

MRI lumbar spine without and with contrast · CPT 72158

What is Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) MRI (with and without contrast)? Read the full explainer →

Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) MRI (with and without contrast)

This lumbar MRI is done twice, before and after a gadolinium injection. Doctors choose this version, rather than the plain one, when scar tissue has to be told apart from a new problem — most often after previous back surgery, or when infection or tumor is the concern.

$257.25

lowest cash price

$3,097.92

national median

$29,180.61

highest cash price

934

hospitals with a published cash price

Middle half of hospitals (25th–75th percentile) against the full range. The same procedure varies $257.25–$29,180.61 — the variation is the story.

Cheapest published cash price

$257.25

Mercy Primary Care - Bernie — Bernie, MO

Most expensive published cash price

$29,180.61

HCA HOUSTON SOUTHEAST — PASADENA, TX

Median cash price over time

Sep 1, 2025 ($2,183.30) → Sep 1, 2026 ($8,058.00)

By state

State Hospitals Lowest cash Median Highest
Alaska 4 $1,954.68 $5,265.00 $6,098.04
Arizona 22 $420.62 $630.92 $4,047.09
Arkansas 7 $905.70 $1,704.87 $6,555.00
California 90 $810.00 $3,617.72 $13,848.54
Colorado 17 $457.89 $7,768.59 $24,445.85
Florida 80 $654.35 $9,429.95 $25,822.15
Georgia 25 $2,122.00 $2,370.03 $7,523.12
Hawaii 2 $1,125.12 $1,125.12 $2,610.00
Illinois 51 $1,350.00 $4,119.60 $6,309.36
Indiana 26 $582.60 $1,003.50 $4,317.77
Iowa 30 $1,643.20 $3,803.15 $7,543.00
Kansas 11 $1,806.40 $6,046.72 $17,932.14
Kentucky 25 $1,177.72 $4,051.80 $19,528.35
Louisiana 1 $893.88 $893.88 $893.88
Maine 7 $2,183.30 $3,301.70 $3,956.45
Maryland 2 $436.20 $436.20 $436.20
Michigan 27 $360.49 $3,412.00 $6,354.40
Minnesota 19 $912.00 $3,850.40 $4,399.20
Mississippi 11 $358.82 $1,501.92 $2,131.65
Missouri 21 $257.25 $2,474.45 $18,608.92
Montana 2 $2,504.00 $2,504.00 $2,889.60
Nebraska 13 $1,312.38 $1,966.02 $4,401.30
Nevada 3 $2,926.43 $3,313.01 $3,668.55
New Hampshire 1 $8,730.55 $8,730.55 $8,730.55
New Jersey 21 $390.30 $796.39 $1,154.98
New Mexico 2 $3,097.92 $3,097.92 $3,097.92
New York 22 $422.61 $422.61 $10,044.00
North Carolina 15 $1,861.50 $2,656.05 $7,540.00
North Dakota 4 $3,861.60 $3,924.00 $4,228.00
Ohio 55 $1,496.00 $2,197.00 $6,889.20
Oklahoma 16 $1,396.84 $2,889.25 $5,443.00
Oregon 13 $405.00 $1,926.72 $3,825.00
Pennsylvania 32 $700.50 $2,713.80 $9,808.20
South Carolina 11 $1,187.00 $2,517.60 $7,770.00
South Dakota 7 $3,938.40 $4,230.40 $4,865.60
Tennessee 38 $656.19 $953.70 $20,105.43
Texas 111 $1,250.03 $3,200.98 $29,180.61
Virginia 43 $656.19 $3,315.50 $17,753.00
Washington 32 $1,791.60 $3,039.24 $5,103.70
West Virginia 17 $1,445.50 $1,971.50 $4,051.80
Wisconsin 33 $1,100.67 $3,045.91 $6,685.06
Wyoming 4 $1,200.78 $1,736.87 $1,841.03

All hospitals

Hospital Location Cash price Negotiated range
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - WAXAHACHIE Waxahachie, TX $3,196.33 $329.13 – $3,995.41
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE HEART AND VASCULAR HOSPITAL - WAXAHACHIE Waxahachie, TX $3,196.33 $329.13 – $3,995.41
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE CONTINUING CARE HOSPITAL Temple, TX $3,200.98 $329.13 – $4,801.46
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER HILLCREST Waco, TX $3,200.98 $329.13 – $4,001.22
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM Brenham, TX $3,200.98 $494.01 – $4,801.46
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - COLLEGE STATION College Station, TX $3,200.98 $332.94 – $4,801.46
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MCLANE CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER Temple, TX $3,200.98 $329.13 – $4,801.46
St. Anthony Hospital Gig Harbor, WA $3,206.98 $1,002.46 – $7,908.07
WILLITS HOSPITAL INC Willits, CA $3,213.90 $17.09 – $470.58
St. Anne Hospital Burien, WA $3,219.70 $1,019.25 – $9,489.69
Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital Hood River, OR $3,220.50 not published
Orange County Anaheim Medical Center Anaheim, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Baldwin Park Medical Center BALDWIN PARK, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Downey Medical Center Downey, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
San Bernardino - Fontana Medical Center FONTANA, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Riverside Medical Center RIVERSIDE, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
South Bay Medical Center HARBOR CITY, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
West Los Angeles Medical Center LOS ANGELES, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
San Marcos Medical Center SAN MARCOS, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Woodland Hills Medical Center WOODLAND HILLS, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
San Diego Clairemont Mesa Medical Center SAN DIEGO, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Panorama Medical Center PANORAMA CITY, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Los Angeles Sunset Medical Center LOS ANGELES, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Moreno Valley Medical Center MORENO VALLEY, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
CHRISTUS Health - West Beaumont Beaumont, TX $3,233.67 $178.86 – $2,372.00
Urbana Hospital Urbana, OH $3,259.20 not published
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance Fort Worth, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Texas Health Center for Diagnostics and Surgery Plano Plano, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $355.46
Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital Arlington, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen Allen, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $355.46
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound Flower Mound, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Azle Azle, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Texas Health Heart & Vascular Hospital Arlington Arlington, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton Denton, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Texas Health Hospital Frisco Frisco, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $355.46
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas Dallas, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $355.46
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford Bedford, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman Kaufman, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $355.46
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano Plano, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $355.46
Texas Health Hospital Rockwall Rockwall, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $355.46
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southlake Southlake, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth Fort Worth, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth Fort Worth, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville Stephenville, TX $3,264.90 $461.69 – $498.63
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Cleburne Cleburne, TX $3,264.90 $329.13 – $362.04
Aurora Sinai Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Baycare Medical Center Green Bay, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Bay Area Marinette, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Burlington Burlington, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Grafton Grafton, WI $3,265.00 not published

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