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PricedCare

MRI of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast in Boston, MA-NH costs $449 to $2,945. Here's every hospital's price.

9 hospitals in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area publish a cash price for mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast (CPT 73721). We read their files every month so you don't have to.

Across the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, 9 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast (CPT 73721). The lowest is $449 at Boston Medical Center-Brighton, the median is $1,828 and the highest is $2,945 at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington. The most expensive hospital lists 6.6 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Boston, MA-NH median of $1,828 is 25% above the national median of $1,463 across 1332 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

9 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $81 to $3,921. With insurance you pay a share of the negotiated rate, which is sometimes higher than the cash price; you may ask for the cash price instead.

The files behind these prices are dated between January 2026 and April 2026. 32 other hospitals in the metro area have no readable price for this code: some publish no file, some block automated reading, some leave the code out. They are listed below so you can call them.

$449
lowest cash price in Boston, MA-NH
Boston Medical Center-Brighton · 13 mi
$1,378 below the median
$1,828
median cash price
9 hospitals
6.6×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
9/41
hospitals with a cash price
32 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Boston Medical Center-Brighton

Brighton · 13 mi · File Mar 2026

$449
list $999
2
Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital

Brockton · 30 mi · File Jan 2026

$796
list $1,137 · lowest of 6 lines
3
Tufts Medical Center

Boston · 12 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,142
list $1,631 · lowest of 3 lines
4
Cambridge Health Alliance

Cambridge · 11 mi · File Mar 2026

$1,603
list $1,603
5
Lowell General Hospital

Lowell · 19 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,828
list $2,611 · lowest of 3 lines
6
Melrosewakefield Healthcare

Melrose · 4 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,879
list $2,684
7
Boston Medical Center

Boston · 13 mi · File Mar 2026

$2,076
list $4,613 · lowest of 2 lines
8
The Shriners' Hospital for Children - Boston

Boston · 11 mi · File Mar 2026

$2,865
list $2,865 · lowest of 2 lines
9
Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington

Burlington · 10 mi · File Apr 2026

$2,945
list $2,945
1

What's in the price

The hospital facility fee for CPT 73721. The doctor, anesthesia and lab work usually bill separately.

2

Cash vs. insured

Cash is what you pay without insurance. With insurance you pay a share of the negotiated rate, which can be higher than cash. You may ask for the cash price.

3

What to say on the phone

"I'd like the self-pay price for CPT 73721, in writing, and whether it covers facility, physician and anesthesia."

About mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast

CPT 73721 is an MRI of a joint in the lower limb, most often the knee, without contrast. It shows ligaments, meniscus and cartilage and is the standard test after a twisting injury or for persistent joint pain. It takes 20 to 40 minutes.

What the price covers

The hospital's price is the technical fee: scanner, technologist and room. The radiologist's reading is billed separately. The same code covers hip and ankle MRIs, so the price applies to those too.

Why prices vary

Knee MRIs are heavily shopped because they are common, elective and easy to compare. Within one metro area hospital prices commonly span four to eight times. Hospital-owned outpatient imaging centers and freestanding centers are the low end; teaching hospitals the high end. Orthopedic practices often have arrangements with a specific imaging center; you can still choose another.

Questions to ask

  • What is the self-pay price for 73721, scan only?
  • What is the radiologist's fee, and can my orthopedist read it instead?
  • Is the scanner strength (1.5T or 3T) the same at your cheaper location?

Hospitals in Boston, MA-NH without a price for this procedure

Listed so you know who to call. The reason is what we found on their website.

Questions people ask