Thoracic spine CT cost in San Diego, CA — inpatient
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 17 hospitals list a cash price for thoracic spine (mid back) CT scan without contrast as an inpatient: from $550.51 to $3,986.00, with a median of $2,110.50. The lowest listed price is at Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego and 4 other hospitals — $1,559.99 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $2,808.00 at 195 hospitals.
Cash prices at 17 facilities across 10 cities for code 72128, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 30, 2026 and May 29, 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego lowest San Diego, CA · (619) 294-8111 HC CT Thoracic WO File of Mar 30, 2026 · source file | $550.51 | $2,202.05 | $78.04–$1,761.64 | 75% |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas lowest Encinitas, CA · (760) 753-6501 HC CT Thoracic WO File of Mar 30, 2026 · source file | $550.51 | $2,202.05 | $78.04–$1,761.64 | 75% |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla lowest La Jolla, CA · (858) 626-4123 HC CT Thoracic WO File of Mar 30, 2026 · source file | $550.51 | $2,202.05 | $78.04–$1,761.64 | 75% |
| Scripps Green Hospital lowest La Jolla, CA · (858) 554-3600 HC CT Thoracic WO File of Mar 30, 2026 · source file | $550.51 | $2,202.05 | $78.04–$1,761.64 | 75% |
| Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista lowest San Diego, CA · (619) 294-8111 HC CT Thoracic WO File of Mar 30, 2026 · source file | $550.51 | $2,202.05 | $78.04–$1,761.64 | 75% |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Ct Scan Of Middle Spine File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $1,641.20 | $2,984.00 | $106.89–$4,028.40 | 45% |
| Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 CT Spine Thoracic w/o Contrast File of May 29, 2026 · source file | $1,686.64 | $2,811.06 | $1,967.74–$2,189.82 | 40% |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA · (858) 939-3400 HC CT SCANTHORACIC SPINEW/O CONTRAST - CT THORACIC SPINE WO CONTRAST source file | $2,110.50 | $2,814.00 | $393.96–$2,757.72 | 25% |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center Coronado, CA · (619) 435-6251 HC CT SCANTHORACIC SPINEW/O CONTRAST - CT THORACIC SPINE WO CONTRAST source file | $2,110.50 | $2,814.00 | $422.10–$2,757.72 | 25% |
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA · (619) 465-0711 HC CT SCANTHORACIC SPINEW/O CONTRAST - CT THORACIC SPINE WO CONTRAST source file | $2,110.50 | $2,814.00 | $261.06–$2,251.20 | 25% |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA · (619) 502-5800 HC CT SCANTHORACIC SPINEW/O CONTRAST - CT THORACIC SPINE WO CONTRAST source file | $2,110.50 | $2,814.00 | $422.10–$2,757.72 | 25% |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 CT THORACIC SPINE W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL source file | $2,808.00 | $5,400.00 | $119.00–$355.00 | 48% |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 CT THORACIC SPINE W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL source file | $2,808.00 | $5,400.00 | $119.00–$355.00 | 48% |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 CT THORACIC SPINE W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL source file | $2,808.00 | $5,400.00 | $119.00–$355.00 | 48% |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Ct-Thoracic Spine W/O Contrast File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $3,483.00 | $4,644.00 | — | 25% |
| Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA CT T-Spine w/o contrast File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $3,986.00 | $6,643.33 | — | 40% |
| Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 CT T-Spine w/o contrast File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $3,986.00 | $6,643.33 | — | 40% |
Inpatient: lowest $550.51, median $2,110.50, highest $3,986.00 — a 7.2× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 17 facilities here, median $2,110.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 11 of 14 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 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.