Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) MRI (with contrast) cost at US hospitals
MRI lumbar spine with contrast · CPT 72149
$287.17
lowest cash price
$2,441.25
national median
$24,168.58
highest cash price
895
hospitals with a published cash price
Middle half of hospitals (25th–75th percentile) against the full range. The same procedure varies $287.17–$24,168.58 — the variation is the story.
Median cash price over time
Sep 1, 2025 ($1,854.70) → Sep 1, 2026 ($7,495.26)
By state
| State | Hospitals | Lowest cash | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 3 | $1,600.20 | $3,841.50 | $4,972.50 |
| Arizona | 22 | $350.55 | $525.83 | $3,878.44 |
| Arkansas | 7 | $643.80 | $1,527.60 | $5,547.00 |
| California | 89 | $675.00 | $2,917.20 | $10,753.86 |
| Colorado | 17 | $381.52 | $6,882.84 | $21,645.25 |
| Florida | 81 | $622.25 | $6,783.32 | $24,168.58 |
| Georgia | 25 | $1,565.25 | $2,045.55 | $5,212.17 |
| Hawaii | 2 | $846.08 | $846.08 | $1,965.00 |
| Illinois | 51 | $1,275.60 | $3,435.60 | $5,068.80 |
| Indiana | 26 | $582.60 | $890.00 | $3,543.47 |
| Iowa | 22 | $1,167.60 | $2,447.90 | $4,822.67 |
| Kansas | 11 | $1,606.00 | $4,879.79 | $16,294.17 |
| Kentucky | 21 | $837.50 | $3,151.80 | $16,922.09 |
| Louisiana | 1 | $757.90 | $757.90 | $757.90 |
| Maine | 7 | $1,854.70 | $2,133.25 | $3,136.80 |
| Maryland | 1 | $382.80 | $382.80 | $382.80 |
| Michigan | 27 | $287.17 | $2,949.00 | $4,504.80 |
| Minnesota | 19 | $729.74 | $1,848.11 | $3,508.00 |
| Mississippi | 11 | $310.86 | $1,142.87 | $1,535.10 |
| Missouri | 20 | $1,086.80 | $1,791.90 | $18,044.55 |
| Montana | 2 | $2,183.20 | $2,183.20 | $2,448.80 |
| Nebraska | 12 | $1,430.03 | $1,695.54 | $3,965.25 |
| Nevada | 3 | $2,438.69 | $2,920.84 | $3,234.30 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $4,713.95 | $4,713.95 | $4,713.95 |
| New Jersey | 21 | $390.30 | $550.04 | $797.72 |
| New Mexico | 2 | $2,794.68 | $2,794.68 | $2,794.68 |
| New York | 22 | $422.61 | $422.61 | $7,986.00 |
| North Carolina | 15 | $1,798.50 | $2,415.68 | $5,984.00 |
| North Dakota | 4 | $3,162.40 | $3,162.40 | $3,555.20 |
| Ohio | 53 | $1,062.00 | $2,064.40 | $6,082.80 |
| Oklahoma | 16 | $1,054.87 | $1,950.65 | $4,031.00 |
| Oregon | 13 | $315.90 | $1,596.75 | $3,485.00 |
| Pennsylvania | 31 | $635.50 | $2,713.80 | $8,004.00 |
| South Carolina | 10 | $935.00 | $2,112.50 | $13,451.00 |
| South Dakota | 6 | $3,169.60 | $3,289.60 | $3,616.00 |
| Tennessee | 38 | $624.68 | $775.50 | $15,341.70 |
| Texas | 113 | $984.60 | $2,612.85 | $14,833.97 |
| Virginia | 39 | $624.68 | $2,644.00 | $10,276.00 |
| Washington | 32 | $1,467.44 | $2,169.60 | $3,604.30 |
| West Virginia | 15 | $1,228.00 | $1,800.00 | $3,384.60 |
| Wisconsin | 32 | $1,387.01 | $2,210.00 | $3,281.30 |
| Wyoming | 4 | $1,000.86 | $1,447.39 | $1,534.19 |
All hospitals
| Hospital | Location | Cash price | Negotiated range |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPMC Bedford | Everett, PA | $4,017.60 | $122.85 – $6,026.40 |
| HCA FLORIDA TWIN CITIES HOSPITAL | DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, FL | $4,024.00 | $828.27 – $5,729.69 |
| UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital | Cedar Rapids, IA | $4,026.96 | $78.25 – $1,887.63 |
| Bethesda Hospital East | BOYNTON BEACH, FL | $4,028.70 | $255.55 – $5,578.20 |
| Doctors Hospital | CORAL GABLES, FL | $4,028.70 | $247.73 – $5,578.20 |
| Baptist Health Hospital Doral | SOUTH MIAMI, FL | $4,028.70 | $247.73 – $5,578.20 |
| Fishermens Community Hospital | MARATHON, FL | $4,028.70 | $247.73 – $5,578.20 |
| Homestead Hospital | HOMESTEAD, FL | $4,028.70 | $167.89 – $5,578.20 |
| Mariners Hospital | TAVERNIER, FL | $4,028.70 | $247.73 – $5,578.20 |
| West Kendall Baptist Hospital | MIAMI, FL | $4,028.70 | $247.73 – $5,578.20 |
| Baptist Hospital | MIAMI, FL | $4,028.70 | $173.17 – $5,578.20 |
| Love County Health Center | Marietta, OK | $4,031.00 | $162.10 – $162.10 |
| HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital | Mattoon, IL | $4,050.00 | $370.49 – $5,625.00 |
| California Hospital Medical Center | Los Angeles, CA | $4,056.54 | $342.79 – $6,607.56 |
| OSF Healthcare Saint Katharine Medical Center | Dixon, IL | $4,068.40 | $373.86 – $373.86 |
| St. Luke's Health - Patients Medical Center | Pasadena, TX | $4,100.25 | $265.05 – $8,786.25 |
| Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital | Grass Valley, CA | $4,107.12 | $380.88 – $7,385.28 |
| Adventhealth North Pinellas | Tarpon Springs, FL | $4,108.74 | $364.32 – $808.79 |
| OSF St Mary Medical Center | Galesburg, IL | $4,119.60 | $373.86 – $381.34 |
| UnityPoint Health - Iowa Lutheran Hospital | Des Moines, IA | $4,170.75 | $78.25 – $1,532.75 |
| Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital | Palos Heights, IL | $4,172.70 | not published |
| Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital | IL 60190, IL | $4,172.70 | not published |
| Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital | DeKalb, IL | $4,172.70 | not published |
| Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital DBA Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital | Lake Forest, IL | $4,172.70 | not published |
| Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital | Geneva, IL | $4,172.70 | not published |
| Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital | Wheaton, IL | $4,172.70 | not published |
| Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital | McHenry, IL | $4,172.70 | not published |
| Northwestern Memorial Hospital | Chicago, IL | $4,172.70 | not published |
| Adventhealth Redmond | Rome, GA | $4,221.62 | $362.59 – $1,008.00 |
| St. Elizabeth Community Hospital | Red Bluff, CA | $4,295.91 | $453.77 – $7,208.88 |
| MUSC Health Florence Medical Center | Florence, SC | $4,319.50 | $324.48 – $356.93 |
| HCA FLORIDA SOUTH TAMPA HOSPITAL | Tampa, FL | $4,343.99 | $828.27 – $5,581.20 |
| Maryview Hospital | Portsmouth, VA | $4,383.60 | not published |
| OSF Holy Family Medical Center | Monmouth, IL | $4,436.00 | not published |
| OSF Saint James John W Albrecht Medical Center | Pontiac, IL | $4,444.00 | $373.86 – $381.34 |
| OSF St Francis Hospital | Escanaba, MI | $4,504.80 | not published |
| UnityPoint Health - Trinity Bettendorf | Bettendorf, IA | $4,520.28 | $78.25 – $2,214.93 |
| UnityPoint Health - Trinity Moline | Rock Island, IL | $4,520.28 | $78.25 – $2,491.80 |
| UnityPoint Health - Trinity Muscatine | Muscatine, IA | $4,520.28 | $78.25 – $2,316.64 |
| HSHS St. Mary's Hospital | DECATUR, IL | $4,544.64 | $356.52 – $6,312.00 |
| UPMC Passavant-McCandless | Pittsburgh, PA | $4,621.20 | $316.41 – $1,720.21 |
| Allen Hospital | Oberlin, OH | $4,684.80 | not published |
| MaineHealth - Memorial Hospital | North Conway, NH | $4,713.95 | $80.98 – $2,085.05 |
| Providence St Joseph Hospital Orange | Orange, CA | $4,735.20 | $381.40 – $830.11 |
| UPMC St. Margaret | Pittsburgh, PA | $4,742.40 | $293.97 – $1,479.38 |
| OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center – Urbana | Danville, IL | $4,771.20 | $373.86 – $381.34 |
| Providence St Joseph Hospital Eureka | Eureka, CA | $4,789.41 | $448.71 – $4,445.63 |
| UnityPoint Health - Grinnell Regional Medical Center | Grinnell, IA | $4,822.67 | $78.25 – $2,429.42 |
| Adventhealth Shawnee Mission | Shawnee Mission, KS | $4,879.79 | $330.30 – $957.86 |
| Adventhealth South Overland Park | Overland Park, KS | $4,879.79 | $330.30 – $957.86 |