Brain MRI cost in New Orleans, LA — inpatient
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 5 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the brain, no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $404.16 to $979.39, with a median of $727.98. The lowest listed price is at St Bernard Parish Hospital — $323.82 less than the median here. Across Louisiana, the median is $1,128.68 at 53 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 5 cities for code 70551, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Bernard Parish Hospital lowest Chalmette, LA · (504) 826-9500 HC MRI BRAIN W/O CONTRAST | $404.16 | $1,263.00 | — | 68% | — source file |
| Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner Kenner, LA · (504) 464-8065 HC MRI BRAIN W/O CONTRAST | $504.00 | $1,800.00 | — | 72% | — source file |
| Ochsner Clinic Foundation New Orleans, LA · (504) 842-3000 HC MRI BRAIN W/O CONTRAST | $727.98 | $3,309.00 | — | 78% | — source file |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 HC MRI BRAIN W/O CONTRAST | $884.25 | $3,275.00 | — | 73% | — source file |
| The Ochsner West Campus Extended Care Hospital Jefferson, LA HC MRI BRAIN W/O CONTRAST | $979.39 | $2,647.00 | — | 63% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $404.16, median $727.98, highest $979.39 — a 2.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 13 facilities here, median $763.42 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
What it is
An MRI of the brain uses a strong magnet and radio waves, not X-rays, to make detailed pictures of the brain and brain stem. It is used to look into headaches, seizures, dizziness, numbness or other nerve symptoms. This version is done without contrast dye.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the scan itself. The radiologist's interpretation is often billed separately, and sedation, if needed, is extra.