Lumbar spine CT cost in Pittsburgh, PA — inpatient
In Pittsburgh, PA, 15 hospitals list a cash price for CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast as an inpatient: from $750.00 to $3,223.80, with a median of $1,740.00. The lowest listed price is at UPMC Jameson — $990.00 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $900.00 at 63 hospitals.
Cash prices at 15 facilities across 9 cities for code 72131, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 25, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 6, 2026 and Apr 14, 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 Pittsburgh, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPMC Jameson lowest New Castle, PA · (724) 656-4100 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CON | $750.00 | $1,250.00 | $937.50–$1,100.00 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Washington Washington, PA · (724) 225-7000 CT LUMB. SPINE W/O | $768.03 | $1,280.05 | $896.03 | 40% | — source file |
| Highlands Hospital Connellsville, PA · (724) 628-1500 CT L-SPINE W/O CONT | $991.20 | $1,652.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Monogahela Valley Hospital Monongahela, PA · (724) 258-1000 CT LUMB SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $991.20 | $1,652.00 | $743.40 | 40% | — source file |
| AHN Wexford Hospital Wexford, PA · (412) 295-3319 HC CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CNTRST | $1,084.10 | $1,465.00 | $154.85–$284.99 | 26% | Apr 14, 2026 source file |
| West Penn Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 578-5000 HC CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CNTRST | $1,125.66 | $1,542.00 | $154.85–$284.99 | 27% | Apr 14, 2026 source file |
| Jefferson Regional Medical Center Jefferson Hills, PA · (412) 469-5000 HC CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CNTRST | $1,186.65 | $1,465.00 | $107.67–$284.99 | 19% | Apr 14, 2026 source file |
| UPMC St Margaret Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 784-4000 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CON | $1,740.00 | $2,900.00 | $756.90–$2,465.00 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Passavant - McCandless Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 367-6700 HC CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CON | $1,795.80 | $2,993.00 | $1,077.48–$2,783.49 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC McKeesport McKeesport, PA · (412) 664-2000 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CON | $1,810.20 | $3,017.00 | $1,046.90–$2,564.45 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC East Monroeville, PA · (412) 357-3000 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CON | $1,863.00 | $3,105.00 | $1,055.70–$2,484.00 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Mercy Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 232-8111 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CON | $1,950.00 | $3,250.00 | $994.50–$2,925.00 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 641-4010 HC CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CON | $2,020.20 | $3,367.00 | $1,212.12–$3,097.64 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Presbyterian Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 647-2345 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CON | $2,937.00 | $4,895.00 | $3,181.75–$4,160.75 | 40% | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 692-5325 CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CON | $3,223.80 | $5,373.00 | $2,149.20–$4,835.70 | 40% | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $750.00, median $1,740.00, highest $3,223.80 — a 4.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 16 facilities here, median $1,463.33 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 10 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 3 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
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.