Scans and imaging CPT 72128 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

Thoracic spine CT cost in Columbia, SC — inpatient

In Columbia, SC, 4 hospitals list a cash price for thoracic spine (mid back) CT scan without contrast as an inpatient: from $438.00 to $1,967.00, with a median of $931.50. The lowest listed price is at Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown and 1 other hospital — $493.50 less than the median here. Across South Carolina, the median is $1,709.50 at 37 hospitals.

Cash prices at 4 facilities across 3 cities for code 72128, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 28, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 2026.

Lowest$438.00Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown + 1 more

Median$931.50half of hospitals charge less

Highest$1,967.00in this market

Difference4.5×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 Columbia, SC.

median

Lowest $438.00Highest $1,967.00

Hospitals, cheapest first

Hospital	Cash price	List price	Insurers pay	Off list
Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown lowest Columbia, SC · (803) 256-5300 HB CT THOR SPINE W/O CONTRAST File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file	$438.00	$876.00	—	50%
MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast lowest Columbia, SC · (803) 256-5300 HB CT THOR SPINE W/O CONTRAST File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file	$438.00	$876.00	—	50%
Kershaw Medical Center Camden, SC · (803) 432-4311 HB CT THOR SPINE W/O CONTRAST File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file	$1,425.00	$2,850.00	—	50%
Lexington Medical Center West Columbia, SC · (803) 791-2000 Hc Ct Thoracic Spine W/O File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file	$1,967.00	$1,967.00	—	—

Hospital The hospital that published the price, its city and the line exactly as written in its price file.

Cash price The hospital's own price for a patient paying without insurance (“discounted cash” in its price file). Hospitals must publish it under federal law, 45 CFR 180.50. Call to confirm it before booking. More

List price The hospital's full chargemaster price (“gross charge”) before any discount. Almost nobody pays it; the gap to the cash price shows what the self-pay discount is worth. More

Insurers pay The lowest and highest rates this hospital has agreed with insurance plans for the same item, from its price file. If the cash price is below what your plan pays and you have not met your deductible, paying cash can cost you less. More

Off list How much lower the cash price is than the list price.

No cash discount This line's cash price equals the hospital's full list price. Many hospitals still reduce bills for uninsured patients: ask the billing office for its self-pay discount in writing. More

Inpatient: lowest $438.00, median $931.50, highest $1,967.00 — a 4.5× difference within the same market.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 4 facilities here, median $931.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

What it is

A thoracic spine CT makes detailed pictures of the twelve vertebrae of the mid back. It is used mainly after an injury to look for fractures, and in older adults for compression fractures.

What the price covers

The hospital price usually covers the scan and any contrast dye. The radiologist's reading is often billed separately.