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
MUSC Health Main Campus - Charleston Charleston, SC $1,275.50 $324.48 – $559.67
MUSC Health Orangeburg Medical Center Orangeburg, SC $1,275.50 $324.48 – $356.93
SIMI VALLEY HOSPITAL AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES Simi Valley, CA $1,281.12 $448.71 – $4,050.49
Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago (Presence Chicago Hospital Network) Chicago, IL $1,287.00 $246.38 – $2,766.96
64-0663760 BMH Booneville Booneville, MS $1,308.00 $305.39 – $890.71
Henry Ford St John Hospital Detroit, MI $1,312.08 $238.97 – $1,302.22
Ascension Saint Thomas River Park McMinnville, TN $1,318.01 $264.35 – $1,339.35
Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Murfreesboro, TN $1,324.91 $297.82 – $1,026.01
Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown Nashville, TN $1,325.22 $297.82 – $991.82
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth La Grange La Grange, IL $1,350.00 $366.01 – $605.65
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Glenoaks Glendale Heights, IL $1,350.00 $373.86 – $605.65
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Hinsdale Hinsdale, IL $1,350.00 $366.01 – $605.65
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Bolingbrook Bolingbrook, IL $1,350.00 $373.86 – $605.65
Ascension Saint Thomas Highlands Sparta, TN $1,383.93 $264.35 – $1,057.38
Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Smithville, TN $1,383.93 $264.35 – $991.82
SONORA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Sonora, CA $1,384.48 $18.58 – $3,071.74
CHI St. Vincent North Sherwood, AR $1,386.92 $366.59 – $2,827.78
64-0772726 BMH North Mississippi Oxford, MS $1,388.74 $311.90 – $1,068.00
CHI St. Vincent Morrilton Morrilton, AR $1,389.90 $366.59 – $1,604.07
Ascension St. John Medical Center (St. John Medical Center, Inc.) Tulsa, OK $1,390.28 $161.59 – $1,358.84
Ascension St. John Owasso (Owasso Medical Facility, Inc.) Owasso, OK $1,390.28 $161.59 – $1,083.43
Ascension St. John Jane Phillips (Jane Phillips Memorial Medical Center, Inc.) Bartlesville, OK $1,390.28 $161.59 – $1,070.98
Ascension St. John Nowata (Jane Phillips Nowata Hospital, Inc.) Nowata, OK $1,390.28 $161.59 – $1,070.98
Ascension St. John Sapulpa (St. John Sapulpa, Inc.) Sapulpa, OK $1,390.28 $161.59 – $933.99
Ascension St. John Broken Arrow (St. John Broken Arrow, Inc.) Jenks, OK $1,390.28 $161.59 – $268.75
Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital Franklin, WI $1,441.07 $346.78 – $836.00
Ascension St. Francis Hospital, Inc. Milwaukee, WI $1,441.07 $346.78 – $836.00
Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital - St. Joseph Campus Milwaukee, WI $1,441.07 $346.78 – $836.00
CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph East Lexington, KY $1,456.48 $567.00 – $3,299.66
Ascension Providence Waco, TX $1,460.43 $335.14 – $2,107.81
Inova Alexandria Hospital Alexandria, VA $1,479.00 $357.13 – $4,068.18
Inova Fairfax Hospital Falls Church, VA $1,479.00 $357.13 – $4,068.18
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital VA 22033-1709, VA $1,479.00 $357.13 – $4,068.18
Inova Loudoun Hospital Leesburg, VA $1,479.00 $357.13 – $4,068.18
Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Alexandria, VA $1,479.00 $357.13 – $4,068.18
Clifton Springs Hospital and Clinic Clifton Springs, NY $1,510.60 $173.89 – $310.53
MUSC Health Chester Medical Center Chester, SC $1,525.00 $337.23 – $370.95
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Jefferson City Jefferson City, MO $1,552.32 $347.51 – $628.99
CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Hospital Lexington, KY $1,553.64 $567.00 – $3,001.18
CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Mt. Sterling, KY $1,554.25 $887.65 – $3,859.31
Mercy Hospital Stoddard Dexter, MO $1,561.95 $304.45 – $2,241.93
East Morgan County Hospital Brush, CO $1,585.84 $99.03 – $227.95
Grant Memorial Hospital Petersburg, WV $1,588.80 not published
euclid hospital Euclid, OH $1,601.60 $0.87 – $2,217.60
hillcrest hospital Mayfield Heights, OH $1,601.60 $0.87 – $2,217.60
lodi hospital Lodi, OH $1,601.60 $356.43 – $2,217.60
marymount hospital Garfield Heights, OH $1,601.60 $0.87 – $2,217.60
fairview hospital Cleveland, OH $1,601.60 $0.87 – $2,217.60
lutheran hospital Cleveland, OH $1,601.60 $0.87 – $2,217.60
avon hospital Avon, OH $1,601.60 $0.87 – $2,217.60

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