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PricedCare

MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast in San Antonio, TX costs $190 to $2,948. Here's every hospital's price.

3 hospitals in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 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 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro area, 3 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast (CPT 72148). The lowest is $190 at Guadalupe Regional Medical Center, the median is $880 and the highest is $2,948 at South Texas Spine and Surgical Hospital. The most expensive hospital lists 16 times the cheapest for the same code.

The San Antonio, TX median of $880 is 39% below the national median of $1,435 across 555 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

3 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $171 to $2,763. 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 May 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.

$190
lowest cash price in San Antonio, TX
Guadalupe Regional Medical Center · 41 mi
$690 below the median
$880
median cash price
3 hospitals
16×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
3/19
hospitals with a cash price
16 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Guadalupe Regional Medical Center

Seguin · 41 mi · File May 2026

$190
list $380 · lowest of 4 lines
2
Legent Orthopedic + Spine

San Antonio · 9 mi · File Mar 2026

$880
list $1,760 · lowest of 2 lines
3
South Texas Spine and Surgical Hospital

San Antonio · 15 mi · File Feb 2026

$2,948
list $2,948 · 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 San Antonio, 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