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PricedCare

MRI of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast in Houston, TX costs $100 to $4,251. Here's every hospital's price.

17 hospitals in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, 17 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast (CPT 73721). The lowest is $100 at University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, the median is $1,244 and the highest is $4,251 at St Luke's Patients Medical Center. The most expensive hospital lists 42 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Houston, TX median of $1,244 is 12% below the national median of $1,409 across 481 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

17 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $85 to $9,110. 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 March 2023 and April 2026. 43 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.

$100
lowest cash price in Houston, TX
University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston · 48 mi
$1,143 below the median
$1,244
median cash price
17 hospitals
42×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
17/60
hospitals with a cash price
43 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston

Galveston · 48 mi · Older file Mar 2023

$100
list $705 · lowest of 4 lines
2
Harris Health

Houston · 7 mi · File Mar 2026

$232
list $3,821 · lowest of 2 lines
3
Houston Methodist Hospital

Houston · 7 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,230
list $2,460 · lowest of 2 lines
4
Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital

Baytown · 22 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,244
list $2,487 · lowest of 2 lines
5
Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital

Nassau Bay · 23 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,244
list $2,487 · lowest of 2 lines
6
Houston Methodist Sugarland Hospital

Sugar Land · 24 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,244
list $2,487
7
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital

Houston · 17 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,244
list $2,487 · lowest of 2 lines
8
Houston Methodist West Hospital

Houston · 21 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,244
list $2,487 · lowest of 2 lines
9
Houston Methodist the Woodlands Hospital

The Woodlands · 29 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,244
list $2,487 · lowest of 2 lines
10
Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital

Cypress · 23 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,244
list $2,487 · lowest of 2 lines
11
Shriners Hospitals for Children

Galveston · 48 mi · File Mar 2026

$1,845
list $1,845
12
Baylor St Lukes Medical Center

Houston · 7 mi · File Feb 2026

$2,726
list $7,788 · lowest of 4 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 Houston, TX 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