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PricedCare

MRI of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast in Chicago, IL-IN costs $822 to $4,766. Here's every hospital's price.

29 hospitals in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, 29 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast (CPT 73721). The lowest is $822 at Loyola Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, the median is $1,765 and the highest is $4,766 at Edward Hospital. The most expensive hospital lists 5.8 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Chicago, IL-IN median of $1,765 is 25% above the national median of $1,409 across 481 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

31 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $43 to $8,991. 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 2025 and August 2026. 49 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.

$822
lowest cash price in Chicago, IL-IN
Loyola Gottlieb Memorial Hospital · 10 mi
$943 below the median
$1,765
median cash price
29 hospitals
5.8×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
29/82
hospitals with a cash price
49 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Loyola Gottlieb Memorial Hospital

Melrose Park · 10 mi · File Mar 2026

$822
list $4,328 · lowest of 6 lines
2
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth La Grange

La Grange · 3 mi · File Apr 2026

$950
list $3,800 · lowest of 2 lines
3
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Hinsdale

Hinsdale · 5 mi · File Apr 2026

$950
list $3,800 · lowest of 2 lines
4
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Glenoaks

Glendale Heights · 16 mi · File Apr 2026

$950
list $3,800 · lowest of 2 lines
5
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Bolingbrook

Bolingbrook · 14 mi · File Apr 2026

$950
list $3,800 · lowest of 2 lines
6
Loyola University Medical Center

Maywood · 7 mi · File Mar 2026

$995
list $4,328 · lowest of 6 lines
7
Advocate Christ Hospital & Medical Center

Oak Lawn · 6 mi · File Nov 2025

$1,210
list $2,420 · lowest of 32 lines
8
Northwest Health - Porter

Valparaiso · 43 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,254
list $4,643 · lowest of 12 lines
9
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center

Chicago · 16 mi · File Nov 2025

$1,350
list $2,700 · lowest of 16 lines
10
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital

Barrington · 33 mi · File Nov 2025

$1,425
list $2,850 · lowest of 12 lines
11
Community First Medical Center

Chicago · 13 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,483
list $2,966
12
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital

Downers Grove · 10 mi · File Nov 2025

$1,505
list $3,010 · 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 Chicago, IL-IN 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