Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) MRI (without contrast) cost at US hospitals
MRI lumbar spine without contrast · CPT 72148
$233.59
lowest cash price
$2,080.00
national median
$19,472.20
highest cash price
935
hospitals with a published cash price
Middle half of hospitals (25th–75th percentile) against the full range. The same procedure varies $233.59–$19,472.20 — the variation is the story.
Median cash price over time
Sep 1, 2025 ($1,293.45) → Sep 1, 2026 ($6,892.74)
By state
| State | Hospitals | Lowest cash | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 4 | $360.00 | $3,650.40 | $4,582.50 |
| Arizona | 22 | $280.37 | $420.56 | $3,462.92 |
| Arkansas | 7 | $561.60 | $1,043.67 | $3,879.00 |
| California | 90 | $607.50 | $2,496.00 | $9,041.79 |
| Colorado | 17 | $305.16 | $5,983.94 | $19,472.20 |
| Florida | 81 | $1,009.60 | $6,544.52 | $18,414.99 |
| Georgia | 25 | $1,422.88 | $1,775.67 | $11,676.27 |
| Hawaii | 2 | $775.36 | $775.36 | $1,747.50 |
| Illinois | 51 | $1,125.00 | $2,997.60 | $4,771.20 |
| Indiana | 26 | $582.60 | $824.50 | $3,235.67 |
| Iowa | 30 | $1,033.50 | $2,598.70 | $5,237.00 |
| Kansas | 11 | $1,431.60 | $4,032.52 | $13,016.93 |
| Kentucky | 26 | $870.84 | $3,066.60 | $16,922.09 |
| Louisiana | 1 | $643.24 | $643.24 | $643.24 |
| Maine | 7 | $1,293.45 | $1,442.30 | $2,554.55 |
| Maryland | 2 | $247.20 | $247.20 | $247.20 |
| Michigan | 27 | $233.59 | $1,902.00 | $4,504.80 |
| Minnesota | 19 | $547.30 | $2,757.60 | $3,237.60 |
| Mississippi | 11 | $263.12 | $992.68 | $1,214.10 |
| Missouri | 20 | $983.40 | $1,613.15 | $12,686.18 |
| Montana | 2 | $1,331.20 | $1,331.20 | $1,956.80 |
| Nebraska | 12 | $1,144.02 | $1,424.64 | $3,965.25 |
| Nevada | 3 | $1,950.95 | $1,960.42 | $2,170.81 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $4,362.00 | $4,362.00 | $4,362.00 |
| New Jersey | 21 | $264.17 | $467.77 | $678.39 |
| New Mexico | 2 | $2,567.04 | $2,567.04 | $2,567.04 |
| New York | 23 | $286.04 | $286.04 | $6,747.00 |
| North Carolina | 15 | $1,518.00 | $2,013.08 | $4,104.00 |
| North Dakota | 4 | $2,202.40 | $2,202.40 | $3,445.60 |
| Ohio | 54 | $965.20 | $1,497.50 | $4,258.80 |
| Oklahoma | 16 | $924.82 | $1,756.95 | $4,003.00 |
| Oregon | 13 | $262.44 | $1,283.25 | $2,275.50 |
| Pennsylvania | 32 | $454.00 | $1,656.00 | $6,214.20 |
| South Carolina | 11 | $830.50 | $1,342.80 | $7,358.00 |
| South Dakota | 7 | $2,980.80 | $3,198.40 | $3,555.20 |
| Tennessee | 38 | $593.63 | $775.50 | $11,471.75 |
| Texas | 112 | $784.44 | $2,394.15 | $19,070.09 |
| Virginia | 43 | $593.63 | $2,000.00 | $10,641.00 |
| Washington | 32 | $1,057.44 | $1,703.20 | $3,532.20 |
| West Virginia | 17 | $868.50 | $1,417.00 | $3,295.20 |
| Wisconsin | 33 | $1,341.96 | $2,110.00 | $5,058.83 |
| Wyoming | 4 | $800.52 | $1,157.91 | $1,227.35 |
All hospitals
| Hospital | Location | Cash price | Negotiated range |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center | Ashland, OH | $2,854.50 | $231.40 – $416.51 |
| OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center | Evergreen Park, IL | $2,871.00 | $146.57 – $475.58 |
| Sanford Bagley Medical Center | Bagley, MN | $2,872.80 | $253.81 – $3,231.90 |
| Sanford Bemidji Medical Center | Bemidji, MN | $2,872.80 | $176.78 – $3,231.90 |
| Sanford Luverne Medical Center | Luverne, MN | $2,875.20 | $253.81 – $3,234.60 |
| OSF Healthcare Saint Katharine Medical Center | Dixon, IL | $2,876.30 | $255.69 – $255.69 |
| HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital | Shelbyville, IL | $2,881.44 | $382.15 – $2,862.00 |
| St. Elizabeth Community Hospital | Red Bluff, CA | $2,883.21 | $307.13 – $4,838.26 |
| St. Luke's Health - Patients Medical Center | Pasadena, TX | $2,887.45 | $187.28 – $6,187.39 |
| SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Centralia | Centralia, IL | $2,898.50 | $255.69 – $268.47 |
| SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital - Mt. Vernon | Mount Vernon, IL | $2,898.50 | $255.69 – $268.47 |
| Morgan County ARH Hospital | Liberty, KY | $2,908.20 | $760.00 – $760.00 |
| UnityPoint Health - Trinity Regional Medical Center | Fort Dodge, IA | $2,921.37 | $64.86 – $3,103.95 |
| CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Emergency Center - Alon | San Antonio, TX | $2,924.46 | $113.49 – $2,372.00 |
| Providence St Mary Medical Center | Walla Walla, WA | $2,940.70 | $217.13 – $491.89 |
| UnityPoint Health - Grinnell Regional Medical Center | Grinnell, IA | $2,943.21 | $64.86 – $1,482.64 |
| Mansfield Hospital | Mansfield, OH | $2,946.45 | $227.83 – $236.94 |
| Shelby Hospital | Shelby, OH | $2,946.45 | not published |
| Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital | Spokane, WA | $2,968.70 | $265.88 – $838.94 |
| Sanford Canton Inwood Medical Center | Canton, SD | $2,980.80 | $1,274.29 – $3,353.40 |
| OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center | Ottawa, IL | $2,997.60 | $255.69 – $260.80 |
| MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center | Lancaster, SC | $3,009.50 | $231.86 – $255.05 |
| St. Michael Medical Center | Silverdale, WA | $3,018.56 | $913.06 – $6,155.47 |
| UPMC Wellsboro | Wellsboro, PA | $3,040.00 | $239.62 – $1,227.91 |
| ARH Our Lady of the Way Hospital | Martin, KY | $3,053.40 | $760.00 – $760.00 |
| Barbourville ARH Hospital | Barbourville, KY | $3,053.40 | $760.00 – $760.00 |
| Mary Breckinridge ARH Hospital | Hayden, KY | $3,053.40 | $760.00 – $760.00 |
| Middlesboro ARH Hospital | Middlesboro, KY | $3,066.60 | $165.69 – $760.00 |
| Sequoia Hospital | Redwood City, CA | $3,077.26 | $266.80 – $6,932.28 |
| OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center | Rockford, IL | $3,091.80 | $145.76 – $894.92 |
| CHI Health St. Mary's | Nebraska City, NE | $3,116.65 | $804.33 – $3,604.80 |
| HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital | Breese, IL | $3,121.92 | $102.28 – $4,336.00 |
| MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center | Waterloo, IA | $3,125.20 | $224.79 – $4,808.00 |
| MercyOne Cedar Falls Medical Center | Cedar Falls, IA | $3,125.20 | $224.79 – $4,808.00 |
| Sanford Clear Lake Medical Center | Clear Lake, SD | $3,128.80 | $1,156.10 – $3,519.90 |
| HSHS St. Francis Hospital | LITCHFIELD, IL | $3,158.64 | $149.70 – $4,387.00 |
| Sanford Sheldon Medical Center | Sheldon, IA | $3,165.60 | $1,127.75 – $3,561.30 |
| Sanford Worthington Medical Center | Worthington, MN | $3,168.80 | $180.60 – $3,564.90 |
| Sanford Hospital Webster | Webster, SD | $3,180.80 | $1,248.46 – $3,578.40 |
| Sanford Westbrook Hospital | Westbrook, MN | $3,189.60 | $253.81 – $3,588.30 |
| Sanford Tracy Hospital | Tracy, MN | $3,189.60 | $253.81 – $3,588.30 |
| Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center | Chamberlain, SD | $3,198.40 | $1,367.32 – $3,598.20 |
| HSHS Holy Family Hospital | GREENVILLE, IL | $3,201.12 | $102.28 – $2,862.00 |
| HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital | HIGHLAND, IL | $3,208.32 | $243.37 – $4,456.00 |
| Baptist Health Floyd | New Albany, IN | $3,235.67 | $117.33 – $6,471.35 |
| Baptist Health Hardin | Elizabethtown, KY | $3,235.67 | $752.00 – $8,628.46 |
| Baptist Health Corbin | Corbin, KY | $3,235.67 | $561.00 – $8,628.46 |
| Baptist Health La Grange | La Grange, KY | $3,235.67 | $543.00 – $8,628.46 |
| Baptist Health Lexington | Lexington, KY | $3,235.67 | $542.00 – $8,770.83 |
| Baptist Health Louisville | Louisville, KY | $3,235.67 | $160.46 – $8,628.46 |