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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascension St. John Medical Center (St. John Medical Center, Inc.) | Tulsa, OK | $924.82 | $92.97 – $919.72 |
| Ascension St. John Owasso (Owasso Medical Facility, Inc.) | Owasso, OK | $924.82 | $92.97 – $774.09 |
| Ascension St. John Jane Phillips (Jane Phillips Memorial Medical Center, Inc.) | Bartlesville, OK | $924.82 | $92.97 – $765.19 |
| Ascension St. John Nowata (Jane Phillips Nowata Hospital, Inc.) | Nowata, OK | $924.82 | $92.97 – $765.19 |
| Ascension St. John Sapulpa (St. John Sapulpa, Inc.) | Sapulpa, OK | $924.82 | $92.97 – $667.32 |
| Ascension St. John Broken Arrow (St. John Broken Arrow, Inc.) | Jenks, OK | $924.82 | $92.97 – $150.55 |
| Ascension Saint Thomas River Park | McMinnville, TN | $930.30 | $167.52 – $669.56 |
| CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Berea | Berea, KY | $933.26 | $367.50 – $1,212.12 |
| 62-1166050 BMH Carroll County | Huntingdon, TN | $939.55 | $192.03 – $441.44 |
| Clifton Springs Hospital and Clinic | Clifton Springs, NY | $956.04 | $100.55 – $204.61 |
| Ascension Providence | Waco, TX | $959.58 | $199.14 – $1,441.45 |
| Kettering Health Greene Memorial | Xenia, OH | $965.20 | $233.84 – $628.23 |
| Kettering Health Miamisburg (Sycamore) | Miamisburg, OH | $965.20 | $236.56 – $635.54 |
| Kettering Health Main Campus (Kettering) | Kettering, OH | $965.20 | $235.10 – $631.61 |
| Kettering Health Troy | Troy, OH | $965.20 | $233.84 – $628.23 |
| Kettering Health Dayton (Grandview) | Dayton, OH | $965.20 | $235.10 – $631.61 |
| Kettering Health Hamilton (Fort Hamilton) | Hamilton, OH | $965.20 | $236.56 – $635.54 |
| Soin Medical Center | Beaver Creek, OH | $965.20 | $235.10 – $631.61 |
| Grant Memorial Hospital | Petersburg, WV | $969.60 | not published |
| Ascension Saint Thomas Highlands | Sparta, TN | $976.83 | $167.52 – $559.14 |
| Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb | Smithville, TN | $976.83 | $167.52 – $559.14 |
| SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Jefferson City | Jefferson City, MO | $983.40 | $237.67 – $430.18 |
| Henry Ford St John Hospital | Detroit, MI | $983.92 | $143.88 – $779.32 |
| 81-3257997 BMH Calhoun | Calhoun City, MS | $992.68 | $241.72 – $246.55 |
| UKIAH ADVENTIST HOSPITAL | Ukiah, CA | $995.20 | $38.80 – $2,275.68 |
| Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford | Murfreesboro, TN | $1,001.88 | $179.77 – $578.43 |
| Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown | Nashville, TN | $1,002.12 | $179.77 – $559.14 |
| MUSC Health Chester Medical Center | Chester, SC | $1,003.00 | $230.64 – $253.70 |
| Rochester General Hospital | Rochester, NY | $1,006.36 | $182.40 – $182.40 |
| Newark Wayne Community Hospital | Newark, NY | $1,006.36 | $116.92 – $243.63 |
| Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf (Sacred Heart Health System, Inc.) | Joe, FL | $1,009.60 | $259.86 – $525.31 |
| CHI St. Vincent North | Sherwood, AR | $1,012.48 | $223.73 – $2,827.78 |
| Covenant Hospital Levelland | Levelland, TX | $1,012.62 | $232.50 – $620.95 |
| CHI St. Vincent Morrilton | Morrilton, AR | $1,014.48 | $223.73 – $1,171.01 |
| CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Hospital | Lexington, KY | $1,021.31 | $394.40 – $1,527.89 |
| 64-0663760 BMH Booneville | Booneville, MS | $1,024.80 | $206.70 – $602.87 |
| UPMC Cole | Coudersport, PA | $1,032.00 | $223.32 – $1,376.00 |
| MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center | Mason City, IA | $1,033.50 | $110.18 – $1,590.00 |
| PORTLAND ADVENTIST MEDICAL CENTER | Portland, OR | $1,039.68 | $201.69 – $5,848.20 |
| Summersville Regional Medical Center | Summersville, WV | $1,040.50 | not published |
| 64-0772726 BMH North Mississippi | Oxford, MS | $1,041.44 | $211.11 – $1,068.00 |
| 26-1214372 NEA Baptist | Jonesboro, AR | $1,043.67 | $213.83 – $445.48 |
| Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital | Cypress, TX | $1,056.00 | $239.69 – $467.39 |
| Houston Methodist Hospital | Houston, TX | $1,056.00 | $239.69 – $958.76 |
| Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital | Sugar Land, TX | $1,056.00 | $239.69 – $467.39 |
| Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital | Houston, TX | $1,056.00 | $239.69 – $467.39 |
| Houston Methodist West Hospital | Houston, TX | $1,056.00 | $239.69 – $958.76 |
| Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital | Baytown, TX | $1,056.00 | $239.69 – $467.39 |
| Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital | Nassau Bay, TX | $1,056.00 | $239.69 – $467.39 |
| Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital | The Woodlands, TX | $1,056.00 | $239.69 – $479.38 |