Lumbar spine CT cost in Indianapolis, IN — inpatient
In Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN, 11 hospitals list a cash price for CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast as an inpatient: from $542.40 to $1,611.60, with a median of $542.40. The lowest listed price is at Carmel AmbSurg and 7 other hospitals. Across Indiana, the median is $1,018.10 at 61 hospitals.
Cash prices at 11 facilities across 6 cities for code 72131, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel AmbSurg lowest Carmel, IN CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $542.40 | $904.00 | $35.75–$650.00 | 40% | — source file |
| Endo Surgery Center lowest Carmel, IN CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $542.40 | $904.00 | $35.75–$650.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana lowest Carmel, IN · (317) 583-5000 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $542.40 | $904.00 | $35.75–$650.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St. Vincent Anderson Regional Hospital lowest Anderson, IN · (765) 649-2511 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $542.40 | $904.00 | $35.75–$650.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St. Vincent Carmel Hospital lowest Carmel, IN · (317) 582-7000 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $542.40 | $904.00 | $35.75–$650.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St. Vincent Carmel Hospital lowest Carmel, IN · (317) 582-7000 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $542.40 | $904.00 | $35.75–$650.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St. Vincent Seton Specialty Hospital lowest Indianapolis, IN CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $542.40 | $904.00 | $35.75–$650.00 | 40% | — source file |
| Naab Road Surgery Center lowest Indianapolis, IN CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $542.40 | $904.00 | $35.75–$650.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St. Vincent Fishers Hospital lowest Fishers, IN · (317) 415-9000 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $542.40 | $904.00 | $35.75–$650.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St. Vincent Fishers Hospital lowest Fishers, IN · (317) 415-9000 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $542.40 | $904.00 | $35.75–$650.00 | 40% | — source file |
| Riverview Health Noblesville, IN · (317) 773-0760 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CONT | $565.20 | $942.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Eskenazi Health Indianapolis, IN · (317) 880-4818 HC CT Lumbar Spine W/O | $1,574.10 | $1,749.00 | $110.00–$1,749.00 | 10% | — source file |
| Ascension St Vincent Mercy Elwood, IN · (765) 552-4743 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO/C | $1,611.60 | $2,686.00 | $35.75–$1,888.53 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $542.40, median $542.40, highest $1,611.60 — a 3.0× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 14 facilities here, median $542.40 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 10 of 10 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
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.