CT scan of the head, no contrast in St. Louis, MO-IL costs $132 to $2,046. Here's every hospital's price.

CPT 70450 is a CT scan of the head without contrast dye. It takes a few minutes and is the standard first test for head injury, sudden severe headache, stroke symptoms and confusion. No preparation is needed and there is no injection.

What the price covers

The hospital's price is the technical fee: the scanner, the technologist and the room. The radiologist's reading is billed separately (the same code with a professional modifier), typically $50 to $200 on top. Some hospitals list a global price that includes both; the file does not always say which, so ask.

Why prices vary

Imaging is where hospital prices diverge most. A head CT at a hospital-owned imaging center can list at a fraction of the same scan in the hospital's main building, and a freestanding imaging center, which does not publish these files, is often cheaper again. Emergency-department scans carry additional facility charges not shown here.

Questions to ask

• Is this the self-pay price for the scan alone, or scan plus radiologist reading?
• Is the price the same at the hospital's outpatient imaging locations?
• Will I be charged an emergency-department fee if the scan is done there?