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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital | Cedar Rapids, IA | $3,533.52 | $64.86 – $1,656.34 |
| Sanford USD Medical Center | Sioux Falls, SD | $3,555.20 | $108.61 – $3,999.60 |
| OSF Saint Paul Medical Center | Mendota, IL | $3,571.20 | not published |
| HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital | Mattoon, IL | $3,633.12 | $102.28 – $5,046.00 |
| HCA FLORIDA CAPITAL HOSPITAL | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $3,637.30 | $517.79 – $2,440.08 |
| Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center | Williamson, KY | $3,648.60 | $139.75 – $760.00 |
| Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center | Kodiak, AK | $3,650.40 | not published |
| OSF Saint James John W Albrecht Medical Center | Pontiac, IL | $3,682.40 | $255.69 – $260.80 |
| UPMC St. Margaret | Pittsburgh, PA | $3,682.80 | $198.97 – $1,345.46 |
| STONECREST MEDICAL CENTER | Smyrna, TN | $3,742.33 | $313.62 – $530.38 |
| Bethesda Hospital East | BOYNTON BEACH, FL | $3,775.20 | $75.98 – $5,227.20 |
| Doctors Hospital | CORAL GABLES, FL | $3,775.20 | $73.66 – $5,227.20 |
| Baptist Health Hospital Doral | SOUTH MIAMI, FL | $3,775.20 | $73.66 – $5,227.20 |
| Fishermens Community Hospital | MARATHON, FL | $3,775.20 | $73.66 – $5,227.20 |
| Homestead Hospital | HOMESTEAD, FL | $3,775.20 | $73.66 – $5,227.20 |
| Mariners Hospital | TAVERNIER, FL | $3,775.20 | $73.66 – $5,227.20 |
| West Kendall Baptist Hospital | MIAMI, FL | $3,775.20 | $73.66 – $5,227.20 |
| Baptist Hospital | MIAMI, FL | $3,775.20 | $75.98 – $5,227.20 |
| Corewell Health Gross Pointe | Grosse Pointe, MI | $3,780.00 | $221.20 – $852.34 |
| Corewell Health Taylor | Taylor, MI | $3,780.00 | $221.20 – $852.34 |
| Corewell Health Troy | Troy, MI | $3,780.00 | $221.10 – $852.34 |
| Corewell Health Wayne | Wayne, MI | $3,780.00 | $221.20 – $852.34 |
| Corewell Health Trenton | Trenton, MI | $3,780.00 | $221.20 – $852.34 |
| UPMC Passavant-McCandless | Pittsburgh, PA | $3,801.60 | $214.16 – $1,564.49 |
| UPMC McKeesport | Mckeesport, PA | $3,834.60 | $213.60 – $1,345.46 |
| Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital | Palos Heights, IL | $3,837.40 | not published |
| Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital | IL 60190, IL | $3,837.40 | not published |
| Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital | DeKalb, IL | $3,837.40 | not published |
| Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital DBA Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital | Lake Forest, IL | $3,837.40 | not published |
| Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital | Geneva, IL | $3,837.40 | not published |
| Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital | Wheaton, IL | $3,837.40 | not published |
| Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital | McHenry, IL | $3,837.40 | not published |
| Northwestern Memorial Hospital | Chicago, IL | $3,837.40 | not published |
| Providence Alaska Medical Center | Anchorage, AK | $3,846.96 | $2,529.61 – $2,529.61 |
| CHI St. Vincent Hospital Hot Springs | Hot Springs, AR | $3,879.00 | $223.73 – $3,103.20 |
| Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center | Burbank, CA | $3,897.95 | $306.88 – $2,123.91 |
| CHI Health Plainview | Plainview, NE | $3,918.60 | $1,903.01 – $6,317.35 |
| UPMC East | Monroeville, PA | $3,940.80 | $231.07 – $5,254.40 |
| CHI Health Schuyler | Schuyler, NE | $3,965.25 | $999.25 – $5,281.72 |
| MercyOne Centerville Medical Center | Centerville, IA | $3,998.00 | $1,097.05 – $3,998.00 |
| Love County Health Center | Marietta, OK | $4,003.00 | $105.76 – $105.76 |
| Adventhealth Shawnee Mission | Shawnee Mission, KS | $4,032.52 | $225.90 – $704.59 |
| Adventhealth South Overland Park | Overland Park, KS | $4,032.52 | $225.90 – $704.59 |
| Adventhealth Ottawa | Ottawa, KS | $4,032.52 | $224.38 – $704.59 |
| OSF Holy Family Medical Center | Monmouth, IL | $4,057.60 | not published |
| UnityPoint Health - Iowa Lutheran Hospital | Des Moines, IA | $4,099.13 | $64.86 – $1,506.43 |
| Adventhealth Hendersonville | Hendersonville, NC | $4,104.00 | $228.06 – $569.47 |
| St. Luke's Health - Brazosport Hospital | Lake Jackson, TX | $4,112.66 | $199.14 – $5,875.23 |
| OSF St Mary Medical Center | Galesburg, IL | $4,119.60 | $255.69 – $260.80 |
| MUSC Health Florence Medical Center | Florence, SC | $4,123.00 | $221.92 – $244.11 |