Skip to main content
PricedCare

MRI of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast in Charlotte, NC-SC costs $1,273 to $5,241. Here's every hospital's price.

3 hospitals in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, 3 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast (CPT 73721). The lowest is $1,273 at Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital, the median is $1,922 and the highest is $5,241 at Caromont Regional Medical Center. The most expensive hospital lists 4.1 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Charlotte, NC-SC median of $1,922 is 29% above the national median of $1,494 across 1196 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

3 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $188 to $4,979. 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 December 2025 and May 2026. 16 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.

$1,273
lowest cash price in Charlotte, NC-SC
Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital · 27 mi
$650 below the median
$1,922
median cash price
3 hospitals
4.1×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
3/19
hospitals with a cash price
16 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital

Mooresville · 27 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,273
list $4,713 · lowest of 12 lines
2
Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast

Concord · 22 mi · File Dec 2025

$1,922
list $3,845 · lowest of 6 lines
3
Caromont Regional Medical Center

Gastonia · 21 mi · File May 2026

$5,241
list $5,241 · lowest of 12 lines
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 Charlotte, NC-SC 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