Cash prices 2,832 hospitals

Nuclear stress test cost without insurance

The median cash price for Nuclear stress test is $3,278.64 across 2,685 US hospitals that publish a self-pay price. Most hospitals (the middle 80%) charge between $1,329.54 and $8,563.05.

A nuclear stress test takes pictures of blood flow to the heart at rest and after exercise or a medicine that stresses the heart, using a small amount of a radioactive tracer. Its price is split across several codes: the imaging (78452), the stress test itself (93015, or its parts), and the tracer. The listed price of the imaging code alone is only one piece of the bill. If you have chest pain, severe shortness of breath or fainting right now, call 911 instead of scheduling a test.

Collected Oct 26, 2026 One price per hospital, from each hospital's own price file

Nuclear stress test prices by type

78452 is the imaging part of a nuclear stress test and is used in the state table. 93015 is the treadmill or drug stress test with its supervision and report, and 93017 is the tracing only, the hospital charge. 93351 is a stress echocardiogram, an alternative that uses ultrasound instead of a tracer.

Procedure	Hospitals	Middle 80%	Median	Medicare
Nuclear stress test Nuclear stress test imaging (SPECT), rest and stress studies · code 78452	2,685	$1,329.54–$8,563.05	$3,278.64	$1,322.69median 2.5×
Treadmill stress test Treadmill or drug stress test with ECG, supervision and report · code 93015	290	$100.37–$1,575.00	$392.53	$220.60median 1.8×
Stress test (hospital charge) Exercise stress test, tracing only, the hospital charge · code 93017	2,832	$271.20–$2,345.00	$811.75	$220.60median 3.7×
Stress echocardiogram Stress echocardiogram, complete, including the stress test and supervision · code 93351	1,605	$528.60–$4,006.00	$1,670.92	$558.25median 3.0×

Procedure The service and its billing code (CPT or HCPCS). Opens the comparison of every hospital that prices it. More

Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.

Middle 80% Cash prices of most hospitals: a tenth of hospitals charge less than the first number (P10), a tenth charge more than the second (P90). More

Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More

Medicare Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same outpatient service, including the patient's share, before the local wage adjustment. A yardstick, not a price you can pay. More

What the hospital price covers

The imaging price does not include the tracer, the stress test itself or the cardiologist's reading unless the facility quotes one total. Ask for all parts.

“Most charge” is the middle 80% of hospitals (10th to 90th percentile), so one mistyped line in a hospital file cannot stretch it. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price for the code. “Medicare” is Medicare's 2026 national base rate for the same service outside a hospital stay, including the patient's share (the hospital outpatient, lab or hospital clinic rate); “median 3×” means the median cash price is three times that rate.

Nuclear stress test: median by state

States with at least 5 hospitals, cheapest median first. Pick a state for its nuclear stress test prices and cheapest hospitals.

Nuclear stress test: median by metro area

Metro areas with at least 10 hospitals.

Paying cash: what to do

Ask for the total: imaging, stress test, tracer and the cardiologist's reading. The imaging code is only one piece.
Ask whether a stress echo would answer your doctor's question; it usually costs less and uses no radiation.
Cardiology offices often charge less than the hospital outpatient department for the same test.

Questions

How much does a nuclear stress test cost without insurance?

The median hospital cash price for Nuclear stress test (code 78452) is $3,278.64 across 2,685 US hospitals that publish a self-pay price; most charge $1,329.54 to $8,563.05. By state, the median runs from $840.00 in Puerto Rico to $7,612.70 in Utah. The imaging price does not include the tracer, the stress test itself or the cardiologist's reading unless the facility quotes one total. Ask for all parts.

What is the difference between a stress test and a nuclear stress test?

A standard stress test records the heart's electrical activity during exercise. A nuclear stress test adds images of blood flow after a tracer injection, which is why it costs more.

How long does a nuclear stress test take?

Usually two to four hours at the facility, because of the waiting time after the tracer injection.

Do I need a doctor's order?

Yes. A nuclear stress test requires an order from a licensed provider.