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
Northridge Hospital Medical Center Northridge, CA $3,273.79 $449.80 – $11,734.00
Stephens Memorial Hospital Norway, ME $3,301.70 $107.81 – $3,077.18
Lourdes Hospital Paducah, KY $3,301.80 not published
St. Francis Hospital Federal Way, WA $3,305.69 $1,002.46 – $7,900.19
Sentara CarePlex Hospital Hampton, VA $3,315.50 $347.20 – $357.41
Sentara Princess Anne Hospital Virginia Beach, VA $3,315.50 $347.20 – $8,716.76
Sentara Leigh Hospital Norfolk, VA $3,315.50 $347.20 – $8,716.76
Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital Virginia Beach, VA $3,315.50 $347.20 – $8,716.76
Sentara Obici Hospital Suffolk, VA $3,315.50 $347.20 – $8,716.76
Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA $3,315.50 $347.20 – $3,975.12
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital Norfolk, VA $3,315.50 $347.20 – $8,716.76
Lincoln Health Damariscotta, ME $3,347.25 $107.81 – $3,039.30
Marion General Hospital Marion, OH $3,374.15 $333.12 – $346.44
Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital Grand Rapids, MI $3,387.00 $347.62 – $893.73
Corewell Health Blodgett Hospital East Grand Rapids, MI $3,387.00 $347.62 – $893.73
Ascension Seton Cedar Park Hospital Cedar Park, TX $3,402.41 $276.95 – $3,113.99
Mercy Hospital Logan County Guthrie, OK $3,430.70 $185.15 – $2,639.00
SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital - Oklahoma City Oklahoma City, OK $3,436.40 $319.50 – $718.05
Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital South Boston, VA $3,450.00 $349.95 – $360.24
St. Joseph Medical Center Tacoma, WA $3,488.70 $1,002.46 – $7,900.19
Corewell Health Pennock Hastings, MI $3,520.00 $674.04 – $674.04
Corewell Health Big Rapids Big Rapids, MI $3,520.00 $347.62 – $674.04
Corewell Health Gerber Fremont, MI $3,520.00 $674.04 – $674.04
Corewell Health Reed City Po Box 75, MI $3,520.00 $674.04 – $674.04
Corewell Health Greenville Greenville, MI $3,520.00 $347.62 – $674.04
Corewell Health Zeeland Zeeland, MI $3,520.00 $347.62 – $674.04
St Mary's Hospital Richmond, VA $3,525.00 not published
Memorial Regional Hospital Mechanicsville, VA $3,525.00 not published
St Francis Medical Center Midlothian, VA $3,525.00 not published
Richmond Community Hospital Richmond, VA $3,525.00 not published
OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center Rockford, IL $3,525.00 $258.92 – $1,308.51
Ascension St. Vincent Williamsport (St. Vincent Williamsport Hospital, Inc.) Williamsport, IN $3,544.80 $59.87 – $700.00
Corewell Health Lakeland St. Joseph St Joseph, MI $3,555.00 $347.62 – $831.78
Corewell Health Lakeland Watervliet Watervliet, MI $3,555.00 $351.38 – $527.07
Ascension St. Vincent Mercy (St. Vincent Madison County Health System, Inc.) Elwood, IN $3,577.80 $81.95 – $700.00
OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center Evergreen Park, IL $3,592.20 $225.91 – $695.38
MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Clinton, IA $3,595.15 $321.26 – $5,531.00
Trinity Medical Center East Steubenville, OH $3,599.96 $1,502.00 – $5,589.43
Mansfield Hospital Mansfield, OH $3,600.35 $333.12 – $346.44
Shelby Hospital Shelby, OH $3,600.35 not published
UPMC Horizon-Greenville Greenville, PA $3,601.80 $304.83 – $2,442.59
Arroyo Grande Hospital Santa Maria, CA $3,608.90 $449.80 – $6,858.04
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Peoria, IL $3,613.20 $258.92 – $1,270.98
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Burbank, CA $3,700.20 $448.71 – $4,255.18
SSM Health Monroe Hospital Monroe, WI $3,719.10 $338.87 – $702.45
St. Elizabeth Hospital Enumclaw, WA $3,722.20 $882.31 – $9,480.23
HSHS Holy Family Hospital GREENVILLE, IL $3,722.40 $149.54 – $2,862.00
Dominican Hospital Santa Cruz, CA $3,755.70 $449.80 – $7,094.10
Sequoia Hospital Redwood City, CA $3,781.60 $449.80 – $8,518.98
Emory Decatur Hospital Decatur, GA $3,812.00 $349.93 – $954.63

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