Lumbar spine CT cost in Hartford, CT
In Hartford, CT, 2 hospitals list a cash price for CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast: from $402.60 to $1,021.90, with a median of $712.25. The lowest listed price is at Connecticut Children's — $309.65 less than the median here. Across Connecticut, the median is $881.93 at 8 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 72131, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 22, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 31, 2026 and Mar 31, 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 Hartford, CT.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Children's lowest Hartford, CT · (860) 545-9000 CT Lspine W/O Cont | $402.60 | $671.00 | $167.60–$650.94 | 40% | — source file |
| Connecticut Children's lowest Hartford, CT · (860) 545-9000 CT Lspine W/O Cont | $402.60 | $671.00 | $167.60–$650.94 | 40% | — source file |
| Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center Hartford, CT · (860) 714-5541 HC CT Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $1,021.90 | $1,858.00 | $115.75–$1,579.30 | 45% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $402.60, median $712.25, highest $1,021.90 — a 2.5× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $712.25. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 2 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.