MRI of the brain, with and without contrast dye in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 8 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the brain, with and without contrast dye: from $947.20 to $2,454.03, with a median of $1,279.46. The lowest listed price is at West Jefferson Medical Center.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 3 cities for code 70553, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jun 24, 2026 and Jul 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Jefferson Medical Center lowest Marrero, LA MRI Scan of Brain Before and After Contrast | $947.20 | $5,920.00 | 84% | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
| University Med Center New Orleans, LA MRI Scan of Brain Before and After Contrast | $984.28 | $4,474.00 | 78% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans, LA MRI Scan of Brain Before and After Contrast | $1,077.76 | $6,736.00 | 84% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Touro Infirmary New Orleans, LA MRI Scan of Brain Before and After Contrast | $1,112.72 | $7,948.00 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA MRI Scan of Brain Before and After Contrast | $1,446.20 | $10,330.00 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA MRI Scan of Brain Before and After Contrast | $1,446.20 | $10,330.00 | 86% | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| Lakeside Hospital Metairie, LA MRI Scan of Brain Before and After Contrast | $1,446.20 | $10,330.00 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital New Orleans, LA MRI Scan of Brain Before and After Contrast | $2,454.03 | $9,089.00 | 73% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $947.20, median $1,279.46, highest $2,454.03 — a 2.6× difference within the same market.
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.