Scans and imaging CPT 70553 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

MRI of the brain, with and without contrast dye in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX — inpatient

In Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 12 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the brain, with and without contrast dye as an inpatient: from $342.69 to $4,438.08, with a median of $1,615.50. The lowest listed price is at Harris Health.

Cash prices at 12 facilities across 8 cities for code 70553, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 5, 2026 and Apr 1, 2026.

Lowest$342.69Harris Health
Median$1,615.50half pay less
Highest$4,438.08in this market
Difference13.0×highest vs lowest

Where each hospital's price falls

Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.

median
Lowest $342.69Highest $4,438.08

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash price List priceOff listFile date
Harris Health lowest Taub Loop Houston, TX MRI BRAIN W & W/O CONTRAST $342.69 $6,954.00 95%
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Harris Health Houston, TX MRI BRAIN W & W/O CONTRAST $342.69 $6,954.00 95%
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Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital Katy, TX HC MRI BRAIN/HEAD W/WO CONTRAST $1,615.50 $3,231.00 50% Apr 1, 2026
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Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Nassau Bay, TX HC MRI BRAIN/HEAD W/WO CONTRAST $1,615.50 $3,231.00 50% Apr 1, 2026
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The Methodist Hospital Houston, TX HC MRI BRAIN/HEAD W/WO CONTRAST $1,615.50 $3,231.00 50% Apr 1, 2026
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Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Baytown, TX HC MRI BRAIN/HEAD W/WO CONTRAST $1,615.50 $3,231.00 50% Apr 1, 2026
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Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Cypress, TX HC MRI BRAIN/HEAD W/WO CONTRAST $1,615.50 $3,231.00 50% Apr 1, 2026
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Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital The Woodlands, TX HC MRI BRAIN/HEAD W/WO CONTRAST $1,615.50 $3,231.00 50% Apr 1, 2026
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Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Sugar Land, TX HC MRI BRAIN/HEAD W/WO CONTRAST $1,615.50 $3,231.00 50% Apr 1, 2026
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Methodist West Houston Hospital Houston, TX HC MRI BRAIN/HEAD W/WO CONTRAST $1,615.50 $3,231.00 50% Apr 1, 2026
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Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Houston, TX HC MRI BRAIN/HEAD W/WO CONTRAST $1,615.50 $3,231.00 50% Apr 1, 2026
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Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX TC MR, BRAIN WO & W CONTRAST $4,438.08 $6,624.00 33% Mar 5, 2026
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Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX TC MR, BRAIN WO & W CONTRAST $4,438.08 $6,624.00 33% Mar 5, 2026
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Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX TC MR, BRAIN WO & W CONTRAST $4,438.08 $6,624.00 33% Mar 5, 2026
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Inpatient: lowest $342.69, median $1,615.50, highest $4,438.08 — a 13.0× difference within the same market.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 14 facilities here, median $1,615.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

What it is

This brain MRI is done in two parts: first without contrast dye, then again after a gadolinium contrast dye is injected into a vein. The contrast helps show tumors, infection, inflammation and conditions such as multiple sclerosis more clearly.

What the price covers

The hospital price usually covers both sets of images. The radiologist's reading is often billed separately, and the contrast agent may appear as its own pharmacy charge.