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
CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center - Bergan Mercy Omaha, NE $1,424.64 $239.40 – $2,883.20
Lasting Hope Recovery Center Omaha, NE $1,424.64 $487.20 – $2,883.20
CHI Health Immanuel Omaha, NE $1,424.64 $239.40 – $2,883.20
CHI Health Lakeside Omaha, NE $1,424.64 $239.40 – $2,883.20
CHI Health Midlands Papillion, NE $1,424.64 $239.40 – $2,883.20
Woodland Memorial Hospital Woodland, CA $1,426.45 $266.80 – $5,206.00
Mercy San Juan Medical Center Carmichael, CA $1,426.45 $139.09 – $5,397.00
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital Saint Louis, MO $1,428.90 $143.91 – $414.23
Ascension Via Christi Hospital Manhattan, Inc Manhattan, KS $1,431.60 $57.89 – $629.87
MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital Yakima, WA $1,433.20 $284.65 – $2,600.00
Stephens Memorial Hospital Norway, ME $1,442.30 $69.85 – $1,344.22
Weirton Medical Center Weirton, WV $1,443.50 $52.50 – $1,159.16
Ascension NE Wisconsin - St. Elizabeth Campus (Ascension NE Wisconsin, Inc.) Appleton, WI $1,451.79 $75.07 – $488.00
Ascension NE Wisconsin - Mercy Campus (Ascension NE Wisconsin, Inc.) Oshkosh, WI $1,451.79 $75.07 – $488.00
mercy hospital Canton, OH $1,469.00 $1.01 – $1,501.20
cleveland clinic main campus Cleveland, OH $1,469.00 $1.10 – $1,501.20
akron general Akron, OH $1,469.00 $0.87 – $1,501.20
Henry Ford Warren Hospital Warren, MI $1,480.08 $143.88 – $779.32
Berger Hospital Circleville, OH $1,482.00 $230.07 – $230.07
Parkview Bryan Hospital Bryan, OH $1,497.50 $237.38 – $712.14
Parkview Montpelier Hospital Montpelier, OH $1,497.50 not published
Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola (Sacred Heart Health System, Inc.) Pensacola, FL $1,499.20 $242.63 – $525.31
Methodist Hospital of Sacramento Sacramento, CA $1,499.33 $139.09 – $5,397.00
Emory Hospital Perry Perry, GA $1,500.00 $210.61 – $582.60
Emory Hospital Warner Robins Warner Robins, GA $1,500.00 $213.74 – $582.60
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Downers Grove, IL $1,505.00 $365.36 – $2,408.00
Barnesville Hospital Barnesville, OH $1,512.00 not published
Sentara Albemarle Regional Medical Center Elizabeth City, NC $1,518.00 $228.06 – $232.62
UPMC Jameson New Castle, PA $1,519.80 $197.92 – $1,246.82
St. Joseph's Hospital Buckhannon, WV $1,544.50 not published
West Virginia University Hospitals Morgantown, WV $1,552.00 $52.50 – $973.00
St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center Phoenix, AZ $1,564.68 $206.70 – $3,235.84
Covenant Hospital Plainview Plainview, TX $1,570.80 $232.50 – $620.95
Reynolds Memorial Hospital Glen Dale, WV $1,577.00 $52.50 – $398.58
CHI Health St. Elizabeth Lincoln, NE $1,583.00 $239.40 – $2,532.80
Mercy Orthopedic Hospital Springfield Ozark, MO $1,600.30 $104.82 – $1,108.86
Mercy Hospital Stoddard Dexter, MO $1,602.25 $206.06 – $1,533.30
MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center Davenport, IA $1,603.20 $231.38 – $323.93
WILLITS HOSPITAL INC Willits, CA $1,604.40 $10.81 – $335.00
Ascension St. Vincent Clay (St. Vincent Clay Hospital, Inc.) Brazil, IN $1,606.80 $35.16 – $700.00
SSM Health DePaul Hospital - St. Louis Bridgeton, MO $1,613.15 $147.32 – $708.85
SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital- Wentzville Wentzville, MO $1,613.15 $147.32 – $708.85
SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital - St. Charles Saint Charles, MO $1,613.15 $147.32 – $708.85
SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton Fenton, MO $1,613.15 $147.32 – $708.85
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - St. Louis Richmond Heights, MO $1,613.15 $147.32 – $708.85
SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital - Lake Saint Louis Lake Saint Louis, MO $1,613.15 $147.32 – $708.85
Providence Seaside Hospital Seaside, OR $1,615.50 not published
UPMC Hamot Erie, PA $1,623.00 $183.52 – $1,345.46
SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital - Shawnee Shawnee, OK $1,629.65 $182.50 – $664.73
Advocate Trinity Hospital Chicago, IL $1,650.00 $365.36 – $2,640.00

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