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
San Bernardino - Fontana Medical Center FONTANA, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Riverside Medical Center RIVERSIDE, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
South Bay Medical Center HARBOR CITY, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
West Los Angeles Medical Center LOS ANGELES, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
San Marcos Medical Center SAN MARCOS, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Woodland Hills Medical Center WOODLAND HILLS, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Los Angeles Sunset Medical Center LOS ANGELES, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
San Diego Clairemont Mesa Medical Center SAN DIEGO, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Panorama Medical Center PANORAMA CITY, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
Moreno Valley Medical Center MORENO VALLEY, CA $3,224.00 $324.00 – $324.00
CHRISTUS Health - West Beaumont Beaumont, TX $3,233.67 $178.86 – $2,372.00
Community Hospital San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA $3,241.00 $449.80 – $8,289.00
Sanford Medical Center Bismarck Bismarck, ND $3,253.60 $329.21 – $3,660.30
Mercy Hospital Healdton Healdton, OK $3,257.15 $185.15 – $801.97
Mercy Hospital of Folsom Folsom, CA $3,259.05 $242.85 – $6,869.96
Urbana Hospital Urbana, OH $3,259.20 not published
Providence St Joseph Hospital Chewelah, WA $3,262.70 not published
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance Fort Worth, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Texas Health Center for Diagnostics and Surgery Plano Plano, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $356.89
Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital Arlington, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen Allen, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $356.89
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound Flower Mound, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Azle Azle, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Texas Health Heart & Vascular Hospital Arlington Arlington, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton Denton, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Texas Health Hospital Frisco Frisco, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $356.89
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas Dallas, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $356.89
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford Bedford, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman Kaufman, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $356.89
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano Plano, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $356.89
Texas Health Hospital Rockwall Rockwall, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $356.89
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southlake Southlake, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth Fort Worth, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth Fort Worth, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville Stephenville, TX $3,264.90 $461.69 – $498.63
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Cleburne Cleburne, TX $3,264.90 $330.45 – $363.50
Aurora Sinai Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Baycare Medical Center Green Bay, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Bay Area Marinette, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Burlington Burlington, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Grafton Grafton, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Fond du Lac Fond Du Lac, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Manitowoc Two Rivers, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Kenosha Kenosha, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Summit Summit, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan County Sheboygan, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora Medical Center Washington County Hartford, WI $3,265.00 not published
Aurora West Allis Medical Center West Allis, WI $3,265.00 not published
Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital - Ozaukee Campus (Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee, Inc.) Mequon, WI $3,271.69 $179.52 – $828.27
Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital - Milwaukee Campus (Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee, Inc.) Milwaukee, WI $3,271.69 $179.52 – $828.27

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