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PricedCare

MRI of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast in Pittsburgh, PA costs $234 to $6,214. Here's every hospital's price.

14 hospitals in the Pittsburgh, PA 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 Pittsburgh, PA metro area, 14 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast (CPT 73721). The lowest is $234 at Advanced Surgical Hospital, the median is $2,796 and the highest is $6,214 at UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside. The most expensive hospital lists 27 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Pittsburgh, PA median of $2,796 is 99% above the national median of $1,409 across 481 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

15 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $192 to $8,803. 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 February 2026 and April 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.

$234
lowest cash price in Pittsburgh, PA
Advanced Surgical Hospital · 31 mi
$2,562 below the median
$2,796
median cash price
14 hospitals
27×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
14/31
hospitals with a cash price
16 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Advanced Surgical Hospital

Washington · 31 mi · File Apr 2026

$234
list $2,600 · lowest of 3 lines
2
Heritage Valley Beaver

Beaver · 29 mi · File Mar 2026

$442
list $1,638
3
Heritage Valley Sewickley

Sewickley · 17 mi · File Mar 2026

$442
list $1,638
4
Acmh Hospital

Kittanning · 28 mi · File Mar 2026

$1,073
list $3,576 · lowest of 4 lines
5
Penn Highlands Connellsville

Connellsville · 34 mi · File Feb 2026

$1,756
list $2,926 · lowest of 2 lines
6
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh · 5 mi · File Mar 2026

$2,125
list $3,541 · lowest of 2 lines
7
UPMC Jameson

New Castle · 45 mi · File Mar 2026

$2,796
list $4,660 · lowest of 2 lines
8
UPMC St Margaret

Pittsburgh · 2 mi · File Mar 2026

$3,683
list $6,138 · lowest of 2 lines
9
UPMC Passavant

Pittsburgh · 11 mi · File Mar 2026

$3,802
list $6,336 · lowest of 2 lines
10
UPMC Mckeesport Hospital

Mc Keesport · 8 mi · File Mar 2026

$3,835
list $6,391 · lowest of 2 lines
11
UPMC East

Monroeville · 6 mi · File Mar 2026

$3,941
list $6,568 · lowest of 2 lines
12
UPMC Mercy

Pittsburgh · 7 mi · File Mar 2026

$4,125
list $6,875 · lowest of 2 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 Pittsburgh, PA 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