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MRI of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast in Milwaukee, WI costs $1,355 to $2,517. Here's every hospital's price.

9 hospitals in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area, 9 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast (CPT 73721). The lowest is $1,355 at Ascension St Francis Hospital, the median is $2,110 and the highest is $2,517 at Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin.

The Milwaukee, WI median of $2,110 is 50% above the national median of $1,409 across 481 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

9 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $235 to $7,174. 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 November 2025 and March 2026. 9 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.

$1,355
lowest cash price in Milwaukee, WI
Ascension St Francis Hospital · 6 mi
$755 below the median
$2,110
median cash price
9 hospitals
1.9×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
9/18
hospitals with a cash price
9 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Ascension St Francis Hospital

Milwaukee · 6 mi · File Jan 2026

$1,355
list $2,557 · lowest of 6 lines
2
Ascension Se Wisconsin Hospital

Milwaukee · 13 mi · File Jan 2026

$1,355
list $2,557 · lowest of 2 lines
3
Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital

Franklin · 6 mi · File Jan 2026

$1,355
list $2,557 · lowest of 2 lines
4
Ascension Columbia St Marys Hospital Milwaukee

Milwaukee · 10 mi · File Jan 2026

$1,661
list $3,134 · lowest of 2 lines
5
Aurora Medical Ctr Washington County

Hartford · 38 mi · File Nov 2025

$2,110
list $4,220 · lowest of 2 lines
6
Aurora St Lukes Medical Center

Milwaukee · 7 mi · File Nov 2025

$2,110
list $4,220 · lowest of 4 lines
7
Aurora Medical Center - Summit

Summit · 32 mi · File Nov 2025

$2,110
list $4,220 · lowest of 2 lines
8
Aurora Medical Center

Grafton · 29 mi · File Nov 2025

$2,110
list $4,220 · lowest of 2 lines
9
Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin

Milwaukee · 12 mi · File Mar 2026

$2,517
list $4,576 · lowest of 3 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 Milwaukee, WI 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