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PricedCare

MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast in St. Louis, MO-IL costs $786 to $5,395. Here's every hospital's price.

18 hospitals in the St. Louis, MO-IL 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 St. Louis, MO-IL metro area, 18 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast (CPT 72148). The lowest is $786 at Mercy Hospital South, the median is $1,613 and the highest is $5,395 at Shriners Hospitals for Children. The most expensive hospital lists 6.9 times the cheapest for the same code.

The St. Louis, MO-IL median of $1,613 is 12% above the national median of $1,435 across 555 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

17 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $137 to $4,456. 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 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.

$786
lowest cash price in St. Louis, MO-IL
Mercy Hospital South · 16 mi
$827 below the median
$1,613
median cash price
18 hospitals
6.9×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
18/36
hospitals with a cash price
18 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Mercy Hospital South

Saint Louis · 16 mi · File Jun 2026

$786
list $786 · lowest of 3 lines
2
Touchette Regional Hospital INC

Centreville · 17 mi · File Apr 2026

$851
list $1,372
3
Mercy Hospital Jefferson

Crystal City · 38 mi · File Jun 2026

$1,370
list $2,108 · lowest of 2 lines
4
Ssm Health Saint Louis University Hospital

Saint Louis · 10 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,375
list $2,500 · lowest of 2 lines
5
Ssm St Joseph Hospital West

Lake Saint Louis · 24 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,429
list $2,598 · lowest of 3 lines
6
Ssm St Joseph Health Center

Saint Charles · 8 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,613
list $2,933 · lowest of 4 lines
7
Ssm St Clare Health Center

Fenton · 16 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,613
list $2,933 · lowest of 3 lines
8
Ssm Health St Mary's Hospital - St Louis

Saint Louis · 8 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,613
list $2,933 · lowest of 4 lines
9
Ssm Health Depaul Hospital St Louis

Bridgeton · 5 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,613
list $2,933 · lowest of 4 lines
10
Mercy Hospital Washington

Washington · 38 mi · File Jun 2026

$1,882
list $2,896 · lowest of 2 lines
11
Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital

Maryland Heights · 4 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,975
list $2,468 · lowest of 2 lines
12
Mercy Hospital Lincoln

Troy · 38 mi · File Jun 2026

$2,003
list $3,082 · 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 St. Louis, MO-IL 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