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
Advocate South Suburban Hospital Hazel Crest, IL $1,650.00 $365.36 – $3,214.20
St. Mary Medical Center Long Beach, CA $1,653.35 $240.12 – $3,845.00
UPMC Community Osteopathic Harrisburg, PA $1,656.00 $235.40 – $2,346.00
UPMC Hanover Hanover, PA $1,656.00 $228.61 – $1,304.81
UPMC Lititz Lititz, PA $1,656.00 $229.84 – $1,285.02
UPMC Memorial York, PA $1,656.00 $241.76 – $2,122.79
UPMC Somerset Somerset, PA $1,656.00 $215.28 – $1,227.91
UPMC Carlisle Carlisle, PA $1,656.00 $228.92 – $2,346.00
Marcum Wallace Hospital Irvine, KY $1,673.40 not published
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Bakersfield, CA $1,684.17 $266.80 – $3,625.31
Van Wert Hospital Van Wert, OH $1,691.95 $245.01 – $249.91
Wamego Health Center (Wamego Hospital Association) Wamego, KS $1,694.40 $57.89 – $763.86
UPMC Altoona Altoona, PA $1,699.20 $187.20 – $2,265.60
Advocate Childrens Hospital - Park Ridge Park Ridge, IL $1,700.00 $365.36 – $2,720.00
Mercy Hospitals – Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA $1,702.52 $266.80 – $3,671.20
MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital Puyallup, WA $1,703.20 $180.77 – $1,145.33
MultiCare Auburn Medical Center Auburn, WA $1,703.20 $176.69 – $1,145.33
MultiCare Covington Medical Center Covington, WA $1,703.20 $176.69 – $1,145.33
MultiCare Mary Bridge Children's Hospital Tacoma, WA $1,703.20 $179.94 – $1,836.63
MultiCare Allenmore Hospital Tacoma, WA $1,703.20 $180.84 – $1,145.33
UPMC Bedford Everett, PA $1,705.20 $83.15 – $2,557.80
Princeton Community Hospital Princeton, WV $1,724.50 $52.50 – $530.62
Hardin Memorial Hospital Kenton, OH $1,725.10 not published
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital Charlottesville, VA $1,735.50 $237.46 – $244.44
Sentara RMH Medical Center Harrisonburg, VA $1,735.50 $237.46 – $244.44
cleveland clinic florida weston hospital Weston, FL $1,740.05 $62.22 – $1,772.25
UnityPoint Health - Finley Hospital Dubuque, IA $1,746.64 $64.86 – $1,746.64
Moanalua Medical Center HONOLULU, HI $1,747.50 $249.00 – $249.00
MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center Davenport, IA $1,750.80 $231.38 – $323.93
MercyOne Genesis Silvis Medical Center Silvis, IL $1,750.80 $235.87 – $3,022.00
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center DeWitt, IA $1,750.80 $668.10 – $1,434.45
MercyOne Genesis Aledo Medical Center Aledo, IL $1,750.80 $268.49 – $923.55
Mercy Hospital Watonga Watonga, OK $1,756.95 $105.76 – $670.37
Advocate Condell Medical Center Libertyville, IL $1,765.00 $365.36 – $2,824.00
Wellstar Cobb Hospital Austell, GA $1,775.67 $242.35 – $448.35
Wellstar Douglas Hospital Douglasville, GA $1,775.67 $240.17 – $444.32
Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Marietta, GA $1,775.67 $242.35 – $448.35
Wellstar MCG Health Augusta, GA $1,775.67 $209.09 – $549.63
Wellstar Paulding Hospital Hiram, GA $1,775.67 $242.35 – $448.35
Wellstar Sylvan Grove Hospital Jackson, GA $1,775.67 $342.35 – $730.45
Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital Marietta, GA $1,775.67 $231.10 – $452.96
Wellstar Roosevelt Long Term Acute Care at Warm Springs P O Box 280, GA $1,775.67 not published
Wellstar North Fulton Hospital Roswell, GA $1,775.67 $242.35 – $448.35
Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital Griffin, GA $1,775.67 $239.32 – $469.07
Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center Lagrange, GA $1,775.67 $234.79 – $460.19
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE HOSPITAL Clearlake, CA $1,784.52 $390.06 – $7,083.45
Healdsburg Hospital Healdsburg, CA $1,788.57 $321.48 – $1,638.61
Camden Clark Medical Center Parkersburg, WV $1,789.50 $52.50 – $398.58
Advocate Sherman Hospital Elgin, IL $1,790.00 $365.36 – $3,222.00
Ascension St. Vincent Mercy (St. Vincent Madison County Health System, Inc.) Elwood, IN $1,791.60 $53.39 – $700.00

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