Lower back X-ray cost in Pittsburgh, PA — inpatient
In Pittsburgh, PA, 16 hospitals list a cash price for X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine), 2 or 3 views as an inpatient: from $147.00 to $772.20, with a median of $425.63. The lowest listed price is at Monogahela Valley Hospital — $278.63 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $296.80 at 66 hospitals.
Cash prices at 16 facilities across 9 cities for code 72100, 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.
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.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monogahela Valley Hospital lowest Monongahela, PA · (724) 258-1000 OR PORT LUMBAR (AP/LAT) | $147.00 | $245.00 | $110.25 | 40% | — source file |
| Monogahela Valley Hospital lowest Monongahela, PA · (724) 258-1000 PORTABLE LUMBAR (AP/LAT) | $147.00 | $245.00 | $110.25 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Jameson New Castle, PA · (724) 656-4100 SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3 VIEWS | $215.40 | $359.00 | $269.25–$315.92 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Washington Washington, PA · (724) 225-7000 LUMBO-SACRAL SPINE | $254.40 | $424.00 | $296.80 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Washington Washington, PA · (724) 225-7000 LUMBAR SPINE 2 VIEWS | $254.40 | $424.00 | $296.80 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC St Margaret Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 784-4000 SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3 VIEWS | $405.00 | $675.00 | $176.18–$573.75 | 40% | — source file |
| Forbes Hospital Monroeville, PA · (412) 858-2000 HC XR SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3V | $411.06 | $527.00 | $32.42–$69.84 | 22% | Apr 14, 2026 source file |
| AHN Wexford Hospital Wexford, PA · (412) 295-3319 HC XR SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3V | $411.44 | $556.00 | $45.82–$69.84 | 26% | Apr 14, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Passavant - McCandless Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 367-6700 HC SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3 VIEWS | $419.40 | $699.00 | $251.64–$650.07 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC McKeesport McKeesport, PA · (412) 664-2000 SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3 VIEWS | $424.20 | $707.00 | $245.33–$600.95 | 40% | — source file |
| West Penn Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 578-5000 HC XR SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3V | $427.05 | $585.00 | $45.82–$69.84 | 27% | Apr 14, 2026 source file |
| UPMC East Monroeville, PA · (412) 357-3000 SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3 VIEWS | $436.20 | $727.00 | $247.18–$581.60 | 40% | — source file |
| Jefferson Regional Medical Center Jefferson Hills, PA · (412) 469-5000 HC XR SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3V | $450.36 | $556.00 | $32.42–$69.84 | 19% | Apr 14, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Mercy Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 232-8111 SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3 VIEWS | $456.60 | $761.00 | $232.87–$684.90 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 692-5325 SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3 VIEWS | $469.80 | $783.00 | $313.20–$704.70 | 40% | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 641-4010 HC SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3 VIEWS | $469.80 | $783.00 | $281.88–$720.36 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Presbyterian Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 647-2345 SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2-3 VIEWS | $686.40 | $1,144.00 | $743.60–$972.40 | 40% | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Highlands Hospital Connellsville, PA · (724) 628-1500 XR L-SPINE 2 VIEWS | $772.20 | $1,287.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Highlands Hospital Connellsville, PA · (724) 628-1500 L-SPINE 2 VIEWS | $772.20 | $1,287.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Monogahela Valley Hospital Monongahela, PA · (724) 258-1000 LUMBAR (AP/LAT) | $772.20 | $1,287.00 | $579.15 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $147.00, median $425.63, highest $772.20 — a 5.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 17 facilities here, median $424.20 — 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 lower back X-ray shows the bones of the lumbar spine in two or three views. It is used after injuries, for suspected fractures and for back pain with warning signs.
What the price covers
The price usually covers taking the images. The radiologist's reading may be billed separately.