Chest CT scan with contrast cost in Madison, WI
In Madison, WI, 2 hospitals list a cash price for diagnostic CT scan of the chest, with contrast dye: from $376.35 to $4,905.25, with a median of $2,640.80. The lowest listed price is at Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital — $2,264.45 less than the median here. Across Wisconsin, the median is $1,340.30 at 70 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 71260, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Apr 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 Madison, WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital lowest Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 Pro Diagnostic Computed Tomography Thorax W/Contrast | $376.35 | $579.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 Fac Diagnostic Computed Tomography Thorax W/Contrast | $1,903.20 | $2,928.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY THORAX W/CONTRAST | $2,279.55 | $3,507.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Meriter Madison, WI · (608) 417-6210 HC CT CHEST W CONTRAST DIAG | $4,905.25 | $6,131.56 | $171.95–$5,824.98 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $376.35, median $2,640.80, highest $4,905.25 — a 13.0× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $2,640.80. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
A chest CT with contrast uses X-rays and dye injected into a vein to make detailed pictures of the lungs, blood vessels, lymph nodes and other chest tissues. It is used to look at masses, enlarged lymph nodes, infections and for cancer staging.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the scan; the contrast agent may appear as a separate line on some bills. The radiologist's reading is often billed separately.