Scans and imaging CPT 72070 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

Mid back X-ray cost in Pittsburgh, PA — inpatient

In Pittsburgh, PA, 16 hospitals list a cash price for X-ray of the mid back (thoracic spine), 2 views as an inpatient: from $147.00 to $772.20, with a median of $431.63. The lowest listed price is at Monogahela Valley Hospital — $284.63 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $360.40 at 64 hospitals.

Cash prices at 16 facilities across 9 cities for code 72070, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 6, 2026 and Apr 14, 2026.

Lowest$147.00Monogahela Valley Hospital
Median$431.63half pay less
Highest$772.20in this market
Difference5.3×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 Pittsburgh, PA.

median
Lowest $147.00Highest $772.20

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash price List priceInsurers payOff listFile date
Monogahela Valley Hospital lowest Monongahela, PA · (724) 258-1000 OR PORT THORACIC SP 2 VIEW $147.00 $245.00 $110.25 40% —
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Monogahela Valley Hospital lowest Monongahela, PA · (724) 258-1000 PORTABLE THORACIC SP 2 VIEW $147.00 $245.00 $110.25 40% —
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UPMC Washington Washington, PA · (724) 225-7000 DORSAL 2 VIEWS $177.24 $295.40 $206.78 40% —
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UPMC St Margaret Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 784-4000 SPINE THORACIC 2 VIEWS $405.00 $675.00 $176.18–$573.75 40% —
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Forbes Hospital Monroeville, PA · (412) 858-2000 HC XR SPINE THOR 2V $411.06 $527.00 $26.75–$58.17 22% Apr 14, 2026
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AHN Wexford Hospital Wexford, PA · (412) 295-3319 HC XR SPINE THOR 2V $411.44 $556.00 $37.80–$58.17 26% Apr 14, 2026
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UPMC Passavant - McCandless Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 367-6700 HC SPINE THORACIC 2 VIEWS $419.40 $699.00 $251.64–$650.07 40% —
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UPMC McKeesport McKeesport, PA · (412) 664-2000 SPINE THORACIC 2 VIEWS $424.20 $707.00 $245.33–$600.95 40% —
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West Penn Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 578-5000 HC XR SPINE THOR 2V $427.05 $585.00 $37.80–$58.17 27% Apr 14, 2026
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UPMC East Monroeville, PA · (412) 357-3000 SPINE THORACIC 2 VIEWS $436.20 $727.00 $247.18–$581.60 40% —
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Jefferson Regional Medical Center Jefferson Hills, PA · (412) 469-5000 HC XR SPINE THOR 2V $450.36 $556.00 $26.75–$58.17 19% Apr 14, 2026
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UPMC Mercy Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 232-8111 SPINE THORACIC 2 VIEWS $456.60 $761.00 $232.87–$684.90 40% —
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UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 692-5325 SPINE THORACIC 2 VIEWS $469.80 $783.00 $313.20–$704.70 40% Mar 6, 2026
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UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 641-4010 HC SPINE THORACIC 2 VIEWS $469.80 $783.00 $281.88–$720.36 40% —
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UPMC Jameson New Castle, PA · (724) 656-4100 SPINE THORACIC 2 VIEWS $478.80 $798.00 $598.50–$702.24 40% —
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UPMC Presbyterian Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 647-2345 SPINE THORACIC 2 VIEWS $686.40 $1,144.00 $743.60–$972.40 40% Mar 6, 2026
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Monogahela Valley Hospital Monongahela, PA · (724) 258-1000 THORACIC SP - 2 VIEW $772.20 $1,287.00 $579.15 40% —
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Highlands Hospital Connellsville, PA · (724) 628-1500 XR T-SPINE 2 VIEWS $772.20 $1,287.00 — 40% —
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Highlands Hospital Connellsville, PA · (724) 628-1500 T-SPINE 2 VIEWS $772.20 $1,287.00 — 40% —
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Inpatient: lowest $147.00, median $431.63, highest $772.20 — a 5.3× difference within the same market.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 17 facilities here, median $427.05 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

Cash or insurance?

At 10 of 15 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 3 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.