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
Fort Loudoun Medical Center Lenoir City, TN $953.70 $198.87 – $2,601.00
Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center Knoxville, TN $953.70 $198.87 – $2,601.00
Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge Oak Ridge, TN $953.70 $198.87 – $2,601.00
Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZ $960.27 $266.89 – $2,719.50
Clara Maass Medical Center Belleville, NJ $966.45 $326.00 – $2,072.00
Ascension Sacred Heart Bay (Bay County Health System, Inc.) Panama City, FL $972.00 $358.48 – $824.45
UPMC Chautauqua Jamestown, NY $975.00 $351.19 – $1,462.50
Parkview Whitley Hospital & Parkview Kosciusko Hospital Columbia City, IN $985.00 $369.11 – $799.03
Parkview Huntington Hospital Huntington, IN $986.00 $369.11 – $799.03
Parkview LaGrange Hospital Lagrange, IN $991.00 $757.16 – $864.55
Parkview DeKalb Hospital Auburn, IN $1,000.50 $369.11 – $799.03
Parkview Noble Hospital Kendallville, IN $1,003.50 $369.11 – $799.03
Community Medical Center Toms River, NJ $1,007.75 $326.00 – $2,072.00
Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf (Sacred Heart Health System, Inc.) Joe, FL $1,009.60 $383.93 – $824.45
Jersey City Medical Center Jersey City, NJ $1,009.70 $220.55 – $2,010.00
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Newark, NJ $1,012.12 $175.43 – $2,072.00
Parkview Wabash Hospital Wabash, IN $1,015.00 $757.16 – $864.55
Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center Livingston, NJ $1,029.62 $400.67 – $2,072.00
Parkview Regional Medical Center & Parkview Hospital Randallia Fort Wayne, IN $1,034.50 $369.11 – $799.03
Parkview Ortho Hospital Fort Wayne, IN $1,034.50 $369.11 – $799.03
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital New Brunswick, NJ $1,036.42 $253.21 – $1,076.87
Monmouth Medical Center Long Branch, NJ $1,063.14 $326.00 – $2,072.00
62-1138045 BMH Union City Union City, TN $1,076.80 $283.71 – $652.20
39-3714515 BMH Oktibbeha County STARKVILLE, MS $1,093.76 $271.40 – $1,343.64
Ascension NE Wisconsin - St. Elizabeth Campus (Ascension NE Wisconsin, Inc.) Appleton, WI $1,100.67 $115.76 – $720.99
Ascension NE Wisconsin - Mercy Campus (Ascension NE Wisconsin, Inc.) Oshkosh, WI $1,100.67 $115.76 – $720.99
CASTLE MEDICAL CENTER Kailua, HI $1,125.12 $412.14 – $6,153.00
Uniontown Hospital Uniontown, PA $1,132.00 $81.84 – $702.32
Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus Lakewood, NJ $1,154.98 $326.00 – $2,072.00
SIERRA VISTA HOSPITAL, INC. San Luis Obispo, CA $1,158.93 $447.92 – $16,740.10
CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph East Lexington, KY $1,177.72 $567.00 – $2,668.12
MUSC Health Black River Medical Center Cades, SC $1,187.00 $324.48 – $735.71
Banner Wyoming Medical Center Casper, WY $1,200.78 $357.13 – $2,744.64
64-0682111 BMH DeSoto Southaven, MS $1,207.60 $310.67 – $1,204.00
Banner Payson Medical Center Payson, AZ $1,218.18 $266.89 – $2,210.40
St. Joseph Health Grimes Hospital Navasota, TX $1,250.03 $461.69 – $7,928.73
St. Joseph Health Burleson Hospital Caldwell, TX $1,250.03 $461.69 – $6,428.70
St. Joseph Health Madison Hospital Madisonville, TX $1,250.03 $461.69 – $6,428.70
St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital College Station, TX $1,250.03 $329.13 – $6,071.55
62-0123940 BMH Collierville Collierville, TN $1,267.98 $310.67 – $654.04
MUSC Health Main Campus - Charleston Charleston, SC $1,275.50 $324.48 – $585.42
MUSC Health Orangeburg Medical Center Orangeburg, SC $1,275.50 $324.48 – $356.93
Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Cypress, TX $1,278.00 $350.46 – $683.40
Houston Methodist Hospital Houston, TX $1,278.00 $350.46 – $1,401.85
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Sugar Land, TX $1,278.00 $350.46 – $683.40
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Houston, TX $1,278.00 $350.46 – $683.40
Houston Methodist West Hospital Houston, TX $1,278.00 $350.46 – $1,401.85
Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Baytown, TX $1,278.00 $350.46 – $683.40
Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Nassau Bay, TX $1,278.00 $350.46 – $683.40
Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital The Woodlands, TX $1,278.00 $350.46 – $700.93

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