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
Emory Long-Term Acute Care Hospital Decatur, GA $3,812.00 $416.06 – $416.06
Emory Johns Creek Hospital Johns Creek, GA $3,812.00 $354.36 – $954.63
Emory Hillandale Hospital Lithonia, GA $3,812.00 $349.93 – $954.63
Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital Atlanta, GA $3,812.00 $354.36 – $954.63
Emory University Hospital Midtown Atlanta, GA $3,812.00 $354.36 – $954.63
Emory Rehabilitation Hospital Atlanta, GA $3,812.00 $362.70 – $954.63
Emory University Hospital Ne, GA $3,812.00 $349.93 – $954.63
Sanford Wheaton Wheaton, MN $3,820.00 $374.99 – $4,297.50
Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Grass Valley, CA $3,824.27 $449.80 – $2,123.66
Providence Mount Carmel Hospital Colville, WA $3,829.70 not published
SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital - Midwest Midwest City, OK $3,833.97 $319.50 – $718.05
California Hospital Medical Center Los Angeles, CA $3,854.30 $404.82 – $6,278.13
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BUDA Suite 110, TX $3,855.61 $330.45 – $4,819.51
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE CONTINUING CARE HOSPITAL Temple, TX $3,855.61 $330.45 – $5,783.41
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER HILLCREST Waco, TX $3,855.61 $330.45 – $4,819.51
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - PFLUGERVILLE Suite 100, TX $3,855.61 $330.45 – $5,783.41
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - TAYLOR Taylor, TX $3,855.61 $494.01 – $5,140.81
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MCLANE CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER Temple, TX $3,855.61 $330.45 – $5,783.41
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM Brenham, TX $3,855.61 $494.01 – $5,783.41
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - COLLEGE STATION College Station, TX $3,855.61 $332.94 – $5,783.41
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CENTER - CEDAR PARK Cedar Park, TX $3,855.61 $330.45 – $5,783.41
Sanford Medical Center Hillsboro Hillsboro, ND $3,856.00 $607.75 – $4,338.00
Sanford Medical Center Mayville Mayville, ND $3,856.00 $607.75 – $4,338.00
Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center Thief River Falls, MN $3,863.20 $374.99 – $4,346.10
Sanford Behavioral Health Thief River Falls Thief River Falls, MN $3,863.20 $374.99 – $4,346.10
UPMC Northwest Seneca, PA $3,864.00 $308.78 – $2,442.59
MultiCare Capital Medical Center Olympia, WA $3,898.00 $333.17 – $1,804.96
Sanford Vermillion Hospital Vermillion, SD $3,919.20 $1,445.21 – $4,409.10
Yavapai Regional Medical Center (East) Prescott, AZ $3,943.73 $218.45 – $363.48
Franklin Memorial Hospital Farmington, ME $3,956.45 $107.81 – $3,311.55
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - CENTENNIAL Frisco, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - IRVING Irving, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE THE HEART HOSPITAL - DENTON Denton, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE THE HEART HOSPITAL - MCKINNEY McKinney, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER Dallas, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE ALL SAINTS MEDICAL CENTER - FORT WORTH Fort Worth, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - GRAPEVINE Grapevine, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - LAKE POINTE Rowlett, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - MCKINNEY McKinney, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - FRISCO AT PGA PARKWAY Frisco, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - PLANO Plano, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - WAXAHACHIE Waxahachie, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE HEART AND VASCULAR HOSPITAL - WAXAHACHIE Waxahachie, TX $3,957.73 $330.45 – $4,947.16
Mercy Hospital Ardmore Northwest Ardmore, OK $3,978.00 $185.15 – $2,158.33
UPMC Muncy Muncy, PA $4,010.40 $344.32 – $2,821.63
UPMC Williamsport Williamsport, PA $4,010.40 $343.82 – $2,913.64
OSF Saint Anthony's Health Center Alton, IL $4,027.20 $373.86 – $381.34
Sanford Bagley Medical Center Bagley, MN $4,034.40 $374.99 – $4,538.70
Sanford Bemidji Medical Center Bemidji, MN $4,034.40 $277.45 – $4,538.70
St. Luke's Health - Patients Medical Center Pasadena, TX $4,041.45 $313.93 – $8,660.25

Related imaging procedures