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

928

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 23 $422.61 $975.00 $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 33 $700.50 $2,916.00 $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
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
Sanford Fargo Medical Center Fargo, ND $4,052.80 $280.20 – $4,559.40
Sanford Canton Inwood Medical Center Canton, SD $4,056.00 $1,733.94 – $4,563.00
Providence Holy Family Hospital Spokane, WA $4,060.70 $388.77 – $1,317.13
St. Bernardine Medical Center San Bernardino, CA $4,078.26 $449.80 – $10,042.54
HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital Shelbyville, IL $4,084.56 $1,289.52 – $2,862.00
ADVENTIST HEALTH MENDOCINO COAST Fort Bragg, CA $4,090.68 $107.36 – $5,105.28
OSF St Mary Medical Center Galesburg, IL $4,119.60 $373.86 – $381.34
CHI Health St. Mary's Nebraska City, NE $4,142.53 $1,069.08 – $4,791.36
Sanford Canby Medical Center Canby, MN $4,144.00 $374.99 – $4,662.00
Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center Chamberlain, SD $4,165.60 $1,780.79 – $4,686.30
HSHS St. Francis Hospital LITCHFIELD, IL $4,185.36 $505.16 – $5,813.00
Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center Aberdeen, SD $4,230.40 $339.27 – $4,759.20
Healdsburg Hospital Healdsburg, CA $4,236.57 $470.05 – $2,909.50
OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center Ottawa, IL $4,239.00 $373.86 – $381.34
CHI Health Plainview Plainview, NE $4,272.24 $3,102.46 – $6,887.47
Ascension St. Vincent Randolph (St. Vincent Randolph Hospital, Inc.) Winchester, IN $4,278.00 $59.87 – $700.00
HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital Breese, IL $4,278.96 $149.54 – $5,943.00
Sanford Luverne Medical Center Luverne, MN $4,279.20 $374.99 – $4,814.10
HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital HIGHLAND, IL $4,281.12 $821.22 – $5,946.00
MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines, IA $4,310.80 $329.29 – $6,632.00
UPMC Kane Kane, PA $4,313.40 $372.90 – $2,657.18
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital Spokane, WA $4,314.80 $388.77 – $1,374.66
Sanford Westbrook Hospital Westbrook, MN $4,322.40 $374.99 – $4,862.70
Sanford Tracy Hospital Tracy, MN $4,322.40 $374.99 – $4,862.70
CHI Health Schuyler Schuyler, NE $4,323.10 $1,089.43 – $5,758.37
Sanford Hospital Webster Webster, SD $4,324.80 $1,697.48 – $4,865.40
Boca Raton Regional Hospital BOCA RATON, FL $4,332.25 $357.78 – $4,352.25
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Centralia Centralia, IL $4,352.15 $373.86 – $392.55
SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital - Mt. Vernon Mount Vernon, IL $4,352.15 $373.86 – $392.55
Kadlec Regional Medical Center Richland, WA $4,358.90 $388.77 – $1,493.03
MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center Lancaster, SC $4,366.50 $339.02 – $372.92
OSF Saint Clare Medical Center Princeton, IL $4,394.40 not published
OSF Saint Paul Medical Center Mendota, IL $4,398.40 not published
Mercy Medical Center Mt. Shasta Mt Shasta, CA $4,422.93 $998.56 – $5,571.30
Sanford Clear Lake Medical Center Clear Lake, SD $4,424.00 $1,215.50 – $4,977.00
Sanford Sheldon Medical Center Sheldon, IA $4,425.60 $1,576.62 – $4,978.80
UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital Cedar Rapids, IA $4,467.01 $100.51 – $2,093.91
UnityPoint Health - Trinity Regional Medical Center Fort Dodge, IA $4,477.34 $100.51 – $4,757.17
Baptist Health Floyd New Albany, IN $4,507.36 $194.37 – $9,014.72
Baptist Health Hardin Elizabethtown, KY $4,507.36 $752.00 – $12,019.62
Baptist Health Corbin Corbin, KY $4,507.36 $561.00 – $12,019.62
Baptist Health La Grange La Grange, KY $4,507.36 $543.00 – $12,019.62
Baptist Health Lexington Lexington, KY $4,507.36 $542.00 – $12,217.94
Baptist Health Louisville Louisville, KY $4,507.36 $280.07 – $12,019.62
Baptist Health Paducah Paducah, KY $4,507.36 $467.00 – $12,019.62
Middlesboro ARH Hospital Middlesboro, KY $4,588.80 $244.80 – $760.00
MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center Dubuque, IA $4,609.15 $312.99 – $7,091.00

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