Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) MRI (without contrast) cost at US hospitals

MRI lumbar spine without contrast · CPT 72148

What is Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) MRI (without contrast)? Read the full explainer →

Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) MRI (without contrast)

This is the standard scan for lower back trouble that runs down a leg. It shows the discs, the nerve roots and the space they travel through, which is where sciatica usually comes from. No dye is injected and there is no radiation.

$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.

Cheapest published cash price

$233.59

Henry Ford Rochester Hospital — Rochester, MI

Most expensive published cash price

$19,472.20

HCA HealthONE SKY RIDGE — Lone Tree, CO

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
Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital Katy, TX $1,056.00 $492.40 – $492.40
East Morgan County Hospital Brush, CO $1,057.22 $64.47 – $148.41
Swedish Medical Center Cherry Hill Seattle, WA $1,057.44 $276.30 – $1,060.33
Swedish Medical Center - First Hill Campus Seattle, WA $1,057.44 $276.30 – $1,095.29
Swedish Issaquah Issaquah, WA $1,057.44 $277.07 – $1,095.29
Community Hospital San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA $1,065.87 $266.80 – $2,726.00
Providence Centralia Hospital Centralia, WA $1,083.68 $276.30 – $1,451.84
Providence St Peter Hospital Olympia, WA $1,083.68 $233.25 – $1,305.02
hillcrest hospital Mayfield Heights, OH $1,084.20 $0.87 – $1,501.20
marymount hospital Garfield Heights, OH $1,084.20 $0.87 – $1,501.20
euclid hospital Euclid, OH $1,084.20 $0.87 – $1,501.20
fairview hospital Cleveland, OH $1,084.20 $0.87 – $1,501.20
lutheran hospital Cleveland, OH $1,084.20 $0.87 – $1,501.20
lodi hospital Lodi, OH $1,084.20 $241.72 – $1,501.20
avon hospital Avon, OH $1,084.20 $0.87 – $1,501.20
medina hospital Medina, OH $1,084.20 $0.87 – $1,501.20
south pointe hospital Warrensville Heights, OH $1,084.20 $0.87 – $1,501.20
UnityPoint Health - St. Lukes Downtown Sioux City, IA $1,084.23 $56.94 – $783.35
Ascension Sacred Heart Bay (Bay County Health System, Inc.) Panama City, FL $1,087.20 $242.63 – $525.31
CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Mt. Sterling, KY $1,097.25 $517.81 – $2,251.34
Virginia Mason Medical Center Seattle, WA $1,098.03 $6.19 – $1,300.31
64-0844470 MBMC Yazoo Yazoo City, MS $1,106.18 $211.52 – $215.75
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Glenoaks Glendale Heights, IL $1,125.00 $255.69 – $414.22
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Hinsdale Hinsdale, IL $1,125.00 $250.32 – $414.22
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth La Grange La Grange, IL $1,125.00 $250.32 – $414.22
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Bolingbrook Bolingbrook, IL $1,125.00 $255.69 – $414.22
62-1519754 BMH Golden Triangle Columbus, MS $1,132.00 $212.26 – $1,130.00
Potomac Valley Hospital Keyser, WV $1,133.00 not published
Mercy General Hospital Sacramento, CA $1,134.91 $139.09 – $5,397.00
Ascension St. Vincent's St. Johns County (St. Vincent's Health System, Inc.) Saint Johns, FL $1,136.27 $237.78 – $525.31
Ascension St. Vincent's Southside (St. Luke's-St. Vincent's HealthCare, Inc.) Jacksonville, FL $1,136.27 $232.92 – $1,111.00
Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County (St. Vincent's Medical Center, Inc.) Middleburg, FL $1,136.27 $235.35 – $525.31
Ascension St. Vincent's Riverside (St. Vincent's Medical Center, Inc.) Jacksonville, FL $1,136.27 $235.35 – $525.31
Providence Regional Medical Center Everett - Colby Campus Everett, WA $1,139.32 $271.72 – $978.77
Ogallala Community Hospital Ogallala, NE $1,144.02 $763.84 – $1,683.92
Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin (Ascension Seton) Austin, TX $1,144.35 $156.11 – $1,969.00
Ascension Seton Northwest (Ascension Seton) Austin, TX $1,144.35 $156.11 – $1,969.00
Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas (Ascension Seton) Austin, TX $1,144.35 $156.11 – $1,969.00
Washakie Medical Center Worland, WY $1,157.91 $73.44 – $148.41
Platte County Hospital Wheatland, WY $1,175.27 $833.28 – $1,683.92
St. Luke's Health Memorial Lufkin Lufkin, TX $1,177.20 $268.00 – $7,063.10
St. Luke's Health Memorial San Augustine San Augustine, TX $1,177.20 $268.00 – $8,161.80
St. Luke's Health Memorial Livingston Livingston, TX $1,177.20 $268.00 – $7,063.10
Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago (Presence Chicago Hospital Network) Chicago, IL $1,181.40 $140.84 – $1,866.60
UnityPoint Health - Allen Hospital Waterloo, IA $1,183.88 $64.86 – $779.88
UnityPoint Health - Marshalltown Marshalltown, IA $1,183.88 $64.86 – $710.33
HANFORD COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Selma, CA $1,184.84 $39.02 – $1,911.22
REEDLEY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Reedley, CA $1,184.84 $2.11 – $1,651.12
ADVENTIST HEALTH TULARE Tulare, CA $1,184.84 $38.80 – $1,661.92
MID-COLUMBIA MEDICAL CENTER The Dalles, OR $1,188.00 $67.61 – $222.00

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