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PricedCare

MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast in Minneapolis, MN-WI costs $30 to $2,153. Here's every hospital's price.

12 hospitals in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area publish a cash price for mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast (CPT 72148). We read their files every month so you don't have to.

Across the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area, 12 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast (CPT 72148). The lowest is $30 at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital, the median is $741 and the highest is $2,153 at Gillette Childrens Specialty Hospital. The most expensive hospital lists 71 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Minneapolis, MN-WI median of $741 is 48% below the national median of $1,426 across 546 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

12 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $28 to $3,051. 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 2026 and June 2026. 18 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.

$30
lowest cash price in Minneapolis, MN-WI
M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital · 15 mi
$711 below the median
$741
median cash price
12 hospitals
71×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
12/30
hospitals with a cash price
18 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital

Edina · 15 mi · File Feb 2026

$30
list $49 · lowest of 3 lines
2
M Health Fairview St John's Hospital

Maplewood · 13 mi · File Feb 2026

$65
list $103 · lowest of 3 lines
3
M Health Fairview University of Mn Medical Center

Minneapolis · 9 mi · File Feb 2026

$99
list $158 · lowest of 4 lines
4
Abbott Northwestern Hospital

Minneapolis · 10 mi · File Jun 2026

$411
list $855 · lowest of 4 lines
5
North Memorial Health Hospital

Robbinsdale · 6 mi · File Apr 2026

$741
list $1,407
6
Maple Grove Hospital

Maple Grove · 10 mi · File Apr 2026

$741
list $1,407
7
Fairview Northland Regional Hospital

Princeton · 35 mi · File Jan 2026

$760
list $1,895 · lowest of 2 lines
8
M Health Fairview Woodwinds Hospital

Woodbury · 19 mi · File Feb 2026

$760
list $1,895 · lowest of 2 lines
9
M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital

Burnsville · 24 mi · File Feb 2026

$805
list $1,895 · lowest of 2 lines
10
Buffalo Hospital

Buffalo · 30 mi · File Jun 2026

$1,240
list $2,215 · lowest of 16 lines
11
River Falls Area Hospital

River Falls · 36 mi · File Jun 2026

$1,240
list $2,215 · lowest of 4 lines
12
Gillette Childrens Specialty Hospital

Saint Paul · 13 mi · File Jan 2026

$2,153
list $3,589 · lowest of 2 lines
1

What's in the price

The hospital facility fee for CPT 72148. 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 72148, in writing, and whether it covers facility, physician and anesthesia."

About mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast

CPT 72148 is an MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast. It is the standard imaging test for sciatica, suspected disc herniation and lower-back pain that has not improved after several weeks. It takes 20 to 40 minutes.

What the price covers

The hospital's price is the technical fee: scanner, technologist, room. The radiologist's reading is billed separately. Contrast studies use a different code.

Do you need it?

Most guidelines advise against MRI for uncomplicated back pain in the first six weeks, because the findings rarely change treatment. If your doctor orders one early, it is reasonable to ask why. When it is needed, it is worth shopping: the same scan varies several times in price within one city.

Why prices vary

Hospital main campuses list the highest prices; hospital-owned outpatient imaging centers list lower; freestanding imaging centers, which are not in these files, are often the cheapest. Cash prices at hospitals frequently undercut the negotiated insurance rate.

Questions to ask

  • What is the self-pay price for 72148, scan only?
  • What does the radiologist charge for the reading?
  • Is the same scanner quality available at your outpatient site for less?

Hospitals in Minneapolis, MN-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