Mid back X-ray cost in New Orleans, LA
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 8 hospitals list a cash price for X-ray of the mid back (thoracic spine), 2 views: from $82.94 to $197.54, with a median of $158.12. The lowest listed price is at University Med Center — $75.18 less than the median here. Across Louisiana, the median is $149.24 at 13 hospitals.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 3 cities for code 72070, 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 | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Med Center lowest New Orleans, LA · (504) 702-3000 X-Ray of Middle Spine 3 Views | $82.94 | $377.00 | $124.01–$94.96 | 78% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA · (504) 347-5511 X-Ray of Middle Spine 3 Views | $114.56 | $716.00 | $100.00–$94.96 | 84% | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
| New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 592-6600 X-Ray of Middle Spine 3 Views | $127.04 | $794.00 | $117.89–$94.96 | 84% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Touro Infirmary New Orleans, LA · (504) 897-8247 X-Ray of Middle Spine 3 Views | $149.10 | $1,065.00 | $109.70–$94.96 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 899-9511 X-Ray of Middle Spine 3 Views | $167.13 | $619.00 | $146.82–$94.96 | 73% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA X-Ray of Middle Spine 3 Views | $197.54 | $1,411.00 | $118.38–$96.10 | 86% | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 X-Ray of Middle Spine 3 Views | $197.54 | $1,411.00 | $118.38–$96.10 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Lakeside Hospital Metairie, LA X-Ray of Middle Spine 3 Views | $197.54 | $1,411.00 | $118.38–$96.10 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $82.94, median $158.12, highest $197.54 — a 2.4× difference within the same market.
Cash or insurance?
At 1 of 8 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is below every plan's rate. 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 thoracic spine X-ray shows the bones of the mid back. It is used after injuries and to look for compression fractures, which are common with osteoporosis.
What the price covers
The price usually covers taking the images. The radiologist's reading may be billed separately.