Upper Back (Thoracic Spine) MRI (with and without contrast) cost at US hospitals

MRI thoracic spine without and with contrast · CPT 72157

What is Upper Back (Thoracic Spine) MRI (with and without contrast)? Read the full explainer →

Upper Back (Thoracic Spine) MRI (with and without contrast)

This scans the twelve vertebrae of the mid and upper back, before and after a gadolinium injection. Worn discs are far less common at this level than in the neck or low back, so a thoracic MRI is usually ordered because the concern is the spinal cord itself or the bone around it.

$358.82

lowest cash price

$2,998.00

national median

$28,834.54

highest cash price

925

hospitals with a published cash price

Middle half of hospitals (25th–75th percentile) against the full range. The same procedure varies $358.82–$28,834.54 — the variation is the story.

Most expensive published cash price

$28,834.54

HCA HOUSTON SOUTHEAST — PASADENA, TX

Median cash price over time

Sep 1, 2025 ($2,191.75) → Sep 1, 2026 ($8,058.00)

By state

State Hospitals Lowest cash Median Highest
Alaska 4 $1,954.68 $5,254.08 $6,098.04
Arizona 22 $418.30 $627.44 $3,943.73
Arkansas 7 $905.70 $1,730.52 $5,847.00
California 90 $775.11 $3,224.00 $11,109.33
Colorado 17 $445.30 $7,305.32 $24,552.00
Florida 80 $622.25 $8,743.77 $27,405.68
Georgia 25 $2,122.00 $2,429.31 $11,938.03
Hawaii 2 $1,122.56 $1,122.56 $2,325.00
Illinois 51 $1,287.00 $4,119.60 $6,492.96
Indiana 26 $582.60 $1,040.00 $4,507.36
Iowa 29 $1,643.20 $4,425.60 $8,094.00
Kansas 11 $1,688.40 $6,046.72 $17,932.14
Kentucky 24 $1,108.69 $4,507.36 $19,736.18
Louisiana 1 $991.12 $991.12 $991.12
Maine 7 $2,191.75 $3,186.60 $3,956.45
Maryland 2 $442.20 $442.20 $442.20
Michigan 27 $360.49 $3,520.00 $5,984.00
Minnesota 19 $912.00 $3,820.00 $4,724.80
Mississippi 11 $358.82 $1,388.74 $2,834.00
Missouri 20 $1,552.32 $2,560.80 $18,608.92
Montana 2 $2,860.80 $2,860.80 $2,889.60
Nebraska 12 $1,716.04 $1,748.88 $4,323.10
Nevada 3 $1,710.79 $2,203.96 $2,440.48
New Hampshire 1 $8,730.55 $8,730.55 $8,730.55
New Jersey 21 $390.30 $819.66 $1,188.73
New Mexico 2 $3,087.84 $3,087.84 $3,087.84
New York 22 $422.61 $422.61 $10,547.00
North Carolina 15 $1,861.50 $2,656.05 $7,374.00
North Dakota 4 $3,253.60 $3,856.00 $4,052.80
Ohio 54 $1,601.60 $2,197.00 $7,783.20
Oklahoma 16 $1,390.28 $2,889.25 $5,011.00
Oregon 13 $405.00 $1,934.40 $6,035.00
Pennsylvania 31 $700.50 $2,713.80 $9,808.20
South Carolina 11 $1,187.00 $2,560.20 $11,724.00
South Dakota 7 $3,919.20 $4,230.40 $5,039.20
Tennessee 38 $656.19 $953.70 $21,531.05
Texas 110 $1,144.50 $3,264.90 $28,834.54
Virginia 43 $656.19 $3,315.50 $17,753.00
Washington 32 $1,798.16 $2,425.20 $4,686.50
West Virginia 17 $1,588.80 $1,928.00 $4,926.60
Wisconsin 33 $1,111.50 $3,179.18 $7,450.60
Wyoming 4 $1,194.48 $1,736.87 $1,841.03

All hospitals

Hospital Location Cash price Negotiated range
UPMC Jameson New Castle, PA $2,946.00 $309.35 – $2,442.59
Providence Saint John's Health Center Santa Monica, CA $2,950.50 $448.71 – $1,316.74
Defiance Hospital Defiance, OH $2,969.40 not published
St. Luke's Health - The Vintage Hospital Houston, TX $2,984.45 $330.45 – $8,527.00
Baylor St Luke's Medical Center Houston, TX $2,984.45 $330.45 – $8,527.00
St. Luke's Health - Springwoods Village Hospital Spring, TX $2,984.45 $330.45 – $8,527.00
St. Luke's Health - Sugar Land Hospital Sugar Land, TX $2,984.45 $330.45 – $8,527.00
St. Luke's Health - Lakeside Hospital The Woodlands, TX $2,984.45 $330.45 – $8,527.00
Princeton Community Hospital Princeton, WV $2,992.50 $81.84 – $2,077.40
Methodist Mansfield Medical Center Mansfield, TX $2,998.00 $313.93 – $1,412.18
Methodist Charlton Medical Center Dallas, TX $2,998.00 $313.93 – $1,370.84
Methodist Midlothian Medical Center Midlothian, TX $2,998.00 $313.93 – $1,352.20
Methodist Dallas Medical Center Dallas, TX $2,998.00 $313.93 – $1,370.84
Methodist Richardson Medical Center Richardson, TX $2,998.00 $313.93 – $1,515.94
Methodist Celina Medical Center Celina, TX $2,998.00 $343.46 – $876.16
Methodist Southlake Medical Center Souhtlake, TX $2,998.00 $313.93 – $1,412.18
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison Madison, WI $3,009.05 $254.15 – $2,144.59
Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital Hood River, OR $3,011.25 not published
OSF St Joseph Medical Center Bloomington, IL $3,022.80 $373.86 – $381.34
Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City Oklahoma City, OK $3,027.05 $185.15 – $2,007.25
St. Clare Hospital Lakewood, WA $3,036.21 $1,002.46 – $7,900.19
Southeastern Medical Center Cambridge, OH $3,036.80 $330.06 – $343.26
Marcum Wallace Hospital Irvine, KY $3,039.60 not published
Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center Tarzana, CA $3,054.10 $448.71 – $2,200.12
Gouverneur Hospital Gouverneur, NY $3,057.03 $517.31 – $517.31
St. John's Camarillo Hospital Camarillo, CA $3,060.31 $453.77 – $5,449.86
Providence Seaside Hospital Seaside, OR $3,078.75 not published
Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital Hobbs, NM $3,087.84 $346.06 – $484.48
Thomas Hospitals South Charleston, WV $3,091.50 $81.84 – $1,685.38
Camden Clark Medical Center Parkersburg, WV $3,098.50 $81.84 – $582.78
St. Elizabeth Community Hospital Red Bluff, CA $3,101.04 $453.77 – $5,203.80
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Janesville Janesville, WI $3,102.55 $263.55 – $2,044.06
Mercy Hospital Lincoln Troy, MO $3,110.25 $426.23 – $468.85
CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN $3,111.17 $315.33 – $5,148.50
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital Charlottesville, VA $3,112.00 $347.20 – $357.41
Sentara RMH Medical Center Harrisonburg, VA $3,112.00 $347.20 – $357.41
Central Medical Center Seattle, WA $3,120.00 $358.00 – $358.00
Massena Hospital Massena, NY $3,121.77 not published
Mercy Orthopedic Hospital Springfield Ozark, MO $3,141.45 $181.21 – $1,969.55
Mercy Hospital Southeast Cape Girardeau, MO $3,146.00 $230.63 – $2,241.93
Mercy Hospital Pittsburg Pittsburg, KS $3,177.20 $185.15 – $1,722.45
UnityPoint Health - Meriter Hospital Madison, WI $3,179.18 $101.16 – $2,191.00
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital Saint Louis, MO $3,181.75 $258.75 – $662.62
Waldo County General Hospital Belfast, ME $3,186.60 $107.81 – $3,001.78
UnityPoint Health - Jones Regional Medical Center Anamosa, IA $3,194.82 $100.51 – $3,542.25
St. Anthony Hospital Gig Harbor, WA $3,203.78 $1,002.46 – $7,900.19
St. Anne Hospital Burien, WA $3,216.49 $1,019.25 – $9,480.23
Orange County Anaheim Medical Center Anaheim, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Baldwin Park Medical Center BALDWIN PARK, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Downey Medical Center Downey, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00

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