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
Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital Griffin, GA $2,429.31 $349.93 – $685.86
Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center Lagrange, GA $2,429.31 $343.30 – $672.87
Siena Hospital Henderson, NV $2,440.48 $189.74 – $7,418.19
CHI Health Mercy Corning Corning, IA $2,441.28 $2,186.98 – $4,984.28
MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center Camden, SC $2,442.50 $337.23 – $370.95
Parkview Bryan Hospital Bryan, OH $2,445.50 $347.08 – $1,041.25
Parkview Montpelier Hospital Montpelier, OH $2,445.50 not published
SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Baraboo Baraboo, WI $2,448.60 $254.15 – $2,848.29
SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital Saint Louis, MO $2,472.80 $304.15 – $1,213.37
Ascension Calumet Hospital, Inc. Chilton, WI $2,474.94 $115.76 – $293.52
64-0844470 MBMC Yazoo Yazoo City, MS $2,475.58 $312.52 – $318.77
Morrow County Hospital Mount Gilead, OH $2,486.90 $474.40 – $782.76
CHI Health Missouri Valley Missouri Valley, IA $2,492.14 $1,780.10 – $4,984.28
Mercy Hospital Aurora Aurora, MO $2,496.00 $206.69 – $468.85
Arizona General Hospital Mesa Mesa, AZ $2,503.60 $346.17 – $8,281.12
UnityPoint Health - Allen Hospital Waterloo, IA $2,532.20 $100.51 – $1,668.08
UnityPoint Health - Marshalltown Marshalltown, IA $2,532.20 $100.51 – $1,519.32
St. Luke's Health Memorial Lufkin Lufkin, TX $2,534.40 $439.13 – $15,206.40
St. Luke's Health Memorial San Augustine San Augustine, TX $2,534.40 $439.13 – $17,571.84
St. Luke's Health Memorial Livingston Livingston, TX $2,534.40 $439.13 – $15,206.40
St. Mary Medical Center Long Beach, CA $2,555.92 $404.82 – $5,944.00
Ascension Seton Northwest (Ascension Seton) Austin, TX $2,556.09 $276.95 – $3,195.11
Ascension Seton Smithville (Ascension Seton) Smithville, TX $2,556.09 $276.95 – $3,113.99
Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin (Ascension Seton) Austin, TX $2,556.09 $276.95 – $3,195.11
Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas (Ascension Seton) Austin, TX $2,556.09 $276.95 – $3,195.11
Covenant Hospital Plainview Plainview, TX $2,559.48 $339.95 – $1,047.33
St Francis Downtown Greenville, SC $2,560.20 not published
St Francis Eastside Greenville, SC $2,560.20 not published
SSM Health DePaul Hospital - St. Louis Bridgeton, MO $2,560.80 $264.89 – $1,257.64
SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital- Wentzville Wentzville, MO $2,560.80 $264.89 – $1,257.64
SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital - St. Charles Saint Charles, MO $2,560.80 $264.89 – $1,257.64
SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton Fenton, MO $2,560.80 $264.89 – $1,257.64
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - St. Louis Richmond Heights, MO $2,560.80 $264.89 – $1,257.64
SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital - Lake Saint Louis Lake Saint Louis, MO $2,560.80 $264.89 – $1,257.64
UPMC Hamot Erie, PA $2,562.60 $281.64 – $2,637.61
Advocate Trinity Hospital Chicago, IL $2,575.00 $539.81 – $4,120.00
Advocate South Suburban Hospital Hazel Crest, IL $2,575.00 $539.81 – $5,016.10
Mercy Hospital Carthage Carthage, MO $2,583.10 $185.15 – $1,844.51
University Hospitals Beachwood Medical Center Beachwood, OH $2,590.50 $330.06 – $3,108.60
University Hospitals St. John Medical Center Westlake OH, OH $2,590.50 $356.43 – $641.57
University Hospitals Lake West Medical Center Willoughby OH 44094|7590 Auburn Road, OH $2,590.50 $330.06 – $594.11
University Hospitals Parma Medical Center Parma OH 44129|7007 Powers Boulevard, OH $2,590.50 $330.06 – $594.11
University Hospitals Regional Hospitals - Geauga Medical Center Chardon, OH $2,590.50 $330.06 – $594.11
University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center Elyria, OH $2,590.50 $330.06 – $594.11
University Hospitals Portage Medical Center Ravenna OH 44266, OH $2,590.50 $356.43 – $641.57
University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center Beachwood, OH $2,590.50 $330.06 – $3,108.60
cleveland clinic florida weston hospital Weston, FL $2,597.40 $107.10 – $2,618.00
Providence Little Co of Mary Med Center San Pedro San Pedro, CA $2,599.45 $448.71 – $2,200.12
Providence Little Company of Mary Med Center Torrance Torrance, CA $2,599.45 $448.71 – $3,590.31
UPMC Altoona Altoona, PA $2,604.00 $269.00 – $3,472.00

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