Thoracic spine CT cost in Washington, DC — inpatient
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 9 hospitals list a cash price for thoracic spine (mid back) CT scan without contrast as an inpatient: from $651.50 to $1,645.09, with a median of $651.50. The lowest listed price is at Inova Loudoun Hospital and 4 other hospitals. Across District of Columbia, the median is $1,499.00 at 3 hospitals.
Cash prices at 9 facilities across 7 cities for code 72128, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 2, 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inova Loudoun Hospital lowest Leesburg, VA · (703) 858-6600 HC CT THOR SPINE WO IV CONT File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $651.50 | $1,303.00 | $106.34–$1,739.00 | 50% |
| Inova Mount Vernon Hospital lowest Alexandria, VA · (703) 664-7105 HC CT THOR SPINE WO IV CONT File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $651.50 | $1,303.00 | $106.34–$1,739.00 | 50% |
| Inova Fairfax Hospital lowest Falls Church, VA · (703) 698-1110 HC CT THOR SPINE WO IV CONT File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $651.50 | $1,303.00 | $106.34–$1,739.00 | 50% |
| Inova Fair Oaks Hospital lowest Fairfax, VA · (703) 391-4170 HC CT THOR SPINE WO IV CONT File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $651.50 | $1,303.00 | $106.34–$1,739.00 | 50% |
| Inova Alexandria Hospital lowest Alexandria, VA · (703) 504-3167 HC CT THOR SPINE WO IV CONT File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $651.50 | $1,303.00 | $106.34–$1,739.00 | 50% |
| MedStar Washington Hospital Center Washington, DC · (202) 877-7000 IR CT SPINE THORACIC WO CON+3 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $1,396.40 | $2,148.31 | $623.01–$1,826.06 | 35% |
| Children's National Hospital Washington, DC · (202) 476-5000 CT Thoracic Spine wo Contrast File of Apr 2, 2026 · source file | $1,499.00 | $2,998.00 | $1,259.16–$1,639.91 | 50% |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chgr-Ct Thoracic Spine W / O Contrast File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $1,608.50 | $3,217.00 | — | 50% |
| MedStar Georgetown Hospital Northwest Washington, DC · (202) 784-3000 BC CT SPINE THORACIC WO CONT+3 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $1,645.09 | $2,530.91 | $885.82–$2,277.82 | 35% |
Inpatient: lowest $651.50, median $651.50, highest $1,645.09 — a 2.5× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 16 facilities here, median $1,077.20 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 8 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 none is it 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.