MRI cost in Houston, TX without insurance
In the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX area, the median cash price for Knee MRI is $1,243.50 across 13 hospitals. The lowest, $231.94, is at Harris Health (Taub Loop Houston) and 1 other hospital. The US median is $1,656.00.
An MRI uses a strong magnet and radio waves, not X-rays, to make detailed pictures of joints, the spine, the brain and other soft tissues. The price depends mostly on the body part and on whether contrast dye is used, and hospital outpatient departments usually charge more for the same scan than freestanding imaging centers.
Collected Sep 25, 2026 One price per hospital: its lowest outpatient cash price for the code
MRI prices in Houston, TX by type
Find the exact code on your order: 'without contrast' codes such as 73721 (knee, hip or ankle) or 72148 (lower back) are a single scan, while 'without and with contrast' codes such as 73723 or 70553 add a second set of images after dye is injected. The state table uses 73721, the lower-limb joint MRI without contrast.
| Procedure | Hospitals | Lowest | Median | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knee MRI MRI of knee or other lower-limb joint, no contrast dye · code 73721 | 13 | $231.94 | $1,243.50 | $1,656.00 |
| Knee MRI with contrast MRI of knee or other lower-limb joint, without and then with contrast dye · code 73723 | 13 | $342.69 | $1,504.00 | $2,495.38 |
| Brain MRI MRI of the brain, no contrast dye · code 70551 | 14 | $231.94 | $1,335.50 | $1,543.10 |
| Brain MRI with contrast MRI of the brain, with and without contrast dye · code 70553 | 14 | $342.69 | $1,615.50 | $2,345.25 |
| Lower back MRI MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye · code 72148 | 14 | $231.94 | $1,056.00 | $1,687.64 |
| Lower back MRI with contrast MRI of the lower back, without and then with contrast dye · code 72158 | 14 | $342.69 | $1,278.00 | $2,496.65 |
| Neck (cervical spine) MRI MRI of the neck (cervical spine), no contrast dye · code 72141 | 14 | $231.94 | $1,407.50 | $1,700.89 |
| Thoracic spine MRI MRI of the mid back (thoracic spine), no contrast dye · code 72146 | 14 | $231.94 | $946.50 | $1,702.85 |
| Shoulder MRI MRI of the shoulder, elbow or wrist joint, no contrast dye · code 73221 | 13 | $231.94 | $1,033.00 | $1,733.50 |
| Pelvic MRI MRI of the pelvis, no contrast dye · code 72195 | 14 | $231.94 | $967.50 | $1,602.38 |
| Abdominal MRI with contrast MRI of the abdomen, without and then with contrast dye · code 74183 | 14 | $342.69 | $1,225.00 | $2,514.00 |
| Breast MRI, both breasts MRI of both breasts, without and then with contrast dye · code 77049 | 11 | $351.15 | $1,357.00 | $2,274.00 |
| Abdominal MRI MRI of the abdomen without contrast · code 74181 | 14 | $231.94 | $1,012.50 | $1,657.50 |
| Pelvic MRI with contrast MRI of the pelvis without and with contrast · code 72197 | 14 | $342.69 | $1,509.00 | $2,471.30 |
| Neck MRI with contrast MRI of the neck (cervical spine) without and with contrast · code 72156 | 14 | $342.69 | $1,703.00 | $2,437.78 |
Outpatient cash prices in Houston, TX. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest cash price for the code; prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Pick a procedure to compare every hospital in the area.
Lowest Knee MRI prices in Houston, TX
- Harris Health, Taub Loop Houston$231.94
- Harris Health, Houston$231.94
- The Methodist Hospital, Houston$1,230.00
- Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital, Baytown$1,243.50
- Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital, Nassau Bay$1,243.50
MRI cost in other areas nearby
Paying cash: what to do
- Ask for the self-pay price by the CPT code on your order, and confirm it matches what will be done, with or without contrast.
- Ask whether the radiologist's reading is included or billed separately, and whether the contrast dye appears as its own charge.
- Get a quote from a freestanding imaging center as well as the hospital; you can usually take the same order to either.