MRI of the brain, no contrast dye in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 8 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the brain, no contrast dye: from $305.00 to $3,036.00, with a median of $2,818.00. The lowest listed price is at Paradise Valley Hospital.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 6 cities for code 70551, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Sep 1, 2026 and Sep 1, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paradise Valley Hospital lowest National City, CA MRI BRAIN WO CON | $305.00 | $3,766.46 | 92% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa San Diego, CA MRI BRAIN BRAIN STEM W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $2,600.00 | $5,000.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion San Diego, CA MRI BRAIN BRAIN STEM W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $2,600.00 | $5,000.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA MRI BRAIN BRAIN STEM W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $2,600.00 | $5,000.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center Coronado, CA HC MRI BRAIN - MRI BRAIN WO CONTRAST | $3,036.00 | $4,048.00 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA HC MRI BRAIN - MRI BRAIN WO CONTRAST | $3,036.00 | $4,048.00 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA HC MRI BRAIN - MRI BRAIN WO CONTRAST | $3,036.00 | $4,048.00 | 25% | — source file |
| Grossmont Hospital Corporation La Mesa, CA HC MRI BRAIN - MRI BRAIN WO CONTRAST | $3,036.00 | $4,048.00 | 25% | — source file |
Outpatient: lowest $305.00, median $2,818.00, highest $3,036.00 — a 10.0× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $3,036.00. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
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.