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PricedCare

MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast in Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV costs $440 to $2,397. Here's every hospital's price.

13 hospitals in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, 13 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast (CPT 72148). The lowest is $440 at Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, the median is $835 and the highest is $2,397 at Medstar Washington Hospital Center. The most expensive hospital lists 5.4 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV median of $835 is 41% below the national median of $1,426 across 546 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

13 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $128 to $3,134. 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 July 2026. 22 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.

$440
lowest cash price in Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV
Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center · 34 mi
$395 below the median
$835
median cash price
13 hospitals
5.4×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
13/36
hospitals with a cash price
22 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center

Clinton · 34 mi · File Apr 2026

$440
list $449 · lowest of 2 lines
2
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Ctr, INC

Lanham · 35 mi · File Jan 2026

$818
list $834 · lowest of 2 lines
3
Inova Alexandria Hospital

Alexandria · 21 mi · File Apr 2026

$835
list $1,670
4
Inova Loudoun Hospital

Leesburg · 17 mi · File Apr 2026

$835
list $1,670
5
Inova Fairfax Hospital

Falls Church · 15 mi · File Apr 2026

$835
list $1,670
6
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital

Fairfax · 7 mi · File Apr 2026

$835
list $1,670
7
Inova Mount Vernon Hospital

Alexandria · 23 mi · File Apr 2026

$835
list $1,670
8
Uva Health Prince William Medical Center

Manassas · 4 mi · File Mar 2026

$1,119
list $2,237 · lowest of 2 lines
9
Uva Health Haymarket Medical Center

Haymarket · 8 mi · File Mar 2026

$1,119
list $2,237 · lowest of 2 lines
10
Uva Health Culpeper Medical Center

Culpeper · 38 mi · File Mar 2026

$1,132
list $2,263 · lowest of 2 lines
11
Medstar Montgomery Medical Center

Olney · 33 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,435
list $1,465 · lowest of 4 lines
12
Medstar Georgetown University Hospital

Washington · 23 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,796
list $2,763 · lowest of 8 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 Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV 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