Lumbar spine CT cost in Atlanta, GA — inpatient
In Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, 18 hospitals list a cash price for CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast as an inpatient: from $1,289.00 to $1,947.00, with a median of $1,610.70. The lowest listed price is at Emory Decatur Hospital and 7 other hospitals — $321.70 less than the median here. Across Georgia, the median is $1,578.10 at 36 hospitals.
Cash prices at 18 facilities across 13 cities for code 72131, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emory Decatur Hospital lowest Decatur, GA · (404) 501-1000 Hc Ct Scan,Lumbar Spine,W/O Contrast - Ct Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast | $1,289.00 | $1,289.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Decatur Health Resource lowest Decatur, GA Hc Ct Scan,Lumbar Spine,W/O Contrast - Ct Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast | $1,289.00 | $1,289.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Es Rehabilitation lowest Atlanta, GA Hc Ct Scan,Lumbar Spine,W/O Contrast - Ct Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast | $1,289.00 | $1,289.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Crawford Long Hospital lowest Atlanta, GA · (404) 686-2450 Hc Ct Scan,Lumbar Spine,W/O Contrast - Ct Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast | $1,289.00 | $1,289.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Saint Josephs Hospital of Atlanta lowest Atlanta, GA · (678) 843-7001 Hc Ct Scan,Lumbar Spine,W/O Contrast - Ct Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast | $1,289.00 | $1,289.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Emory University lowest Atlanta, GA · (404) 686-8500 Hc Ct Scan,Lumbar Spine,W/O Contrast - Ct Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast | $1,289.00 | $1,289.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emory Hillandale Hospital lowest Lithonia, GA · (404) 501-8040 Hc Ct Scan,Lumbar Spine,W/O Contrast - Ct Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast | $1,289.00 | $1,289.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emory Johns Creek Hospital lowest Johns Creek, GA · (678) 474-7000 Hc Ct Scan,Lumbar Spine,W/O Contrast - Ct Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast | $1,289.00 | $1,289.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar North Fulton Hospital Roswell, GA · (770) 751-2500 Hc Ct Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $1,610.70 | $4,130.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Sylvan Grove Hospital Jackson, GA · (770) 775-7861 Hc Ct Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $1,610.70 | $4,130.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Cobb Hospital Austell, GA · (770) 732-4000 Hc Ct Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $1,610.70 | $4,130.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Paulding Hospital Hiram, GA · (470) 644-7000 Hc Ct Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $1,610.70 | $4,130.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Roosevelt Long Term Acute Care At Warm Sp Warm Springs, GA Hc Ct Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $1,610.70 | $4,130.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital Griffin, GA · (770) 228-2721 Hc Ct Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $1,610.70 | $4,130.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Marietta, GA · (770) 793-5000 Hc Ct Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $1,610.70 | $4,130.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital Marietta, GA Hc Ct Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $1,610.70 | $4,130.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Douglas Hospital Douglasville, GA · (770) 949-1500 Hc Ct Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $1,610.70 | $4,130.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Shepherd Center Northwest Atlanta, GA HC CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CNTRST | $1,947.00 | $3,894.00 | $1,908.06–$3,309.90 | 50% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $1,289.00, median $1,610.70, highest $1,947.00 — a 1.5× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 19 facilities here, median $1,610.70 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. 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
This CT scan shows the bones of the lower back in detail. It is used after injuries and when an MRI is not possible.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the scan. The radiologist's reading may be billed separately.