Neck (cervical spine) MRI cost in San Diego, CA — inpatient
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 8 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the neck (cervical spine), no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $2,444.00 to $4,149.75, with a median of $3,444.38. The lowest listed price is at Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion and 2 other hospitals — $1,000.38 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $2,607.38 at 98 hospitals.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 5 cities for code 72141, 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion lowest San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 MRI SPINAL CANAL CERVICAL W/O CONTRAST MATRL | $2,444.00 | $4,700.00 | $220.00–$655.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos lowest San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 MRI SPINAL CANAL CERVICAL W/O CONTRAST MATRL | $2,444.00 | $4,700.00 | $220.00–$655.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa lowest San Diego, CA MRI SPINAL CANAL CERVICAL W/O CONTRAST MATRL | $2,444.00 | $4,700.00 | $220.00–$655.00 | 48% | — source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Mri Scan Of Upper Spinal Canal | $2,739.00 | $4,980.00 | $163.62–$6,723.00 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA · (858) 939-3400 HC MRI CERV SPINE - MRI CERVICAL SPINE WO CONTRAST | $4,149.75 | $5,533.00 | $1,643.30–$4,537.06 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA · (619) 502-5800 HC MRI CERV SPINE - MRI CERVICAL SPINE WO CONTRAST | $4,149.75 | $5,533.00 | $349.69–$4,979.70 | 25% | — source file |
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA · (619) 465-0711 HC MRI CERV SPINE - MRI CERVICAL SPINE WO CONTRAST | $4,149.75 | $5,533.00 | $349.69–$34,113.78 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center Coronado, CA · (619) 435-6251 HC MRI CERV SPINE - MRI CERVICAL SPINE WO CONTRAST | $4,149.75 | $5,533.00 | $829.95–$5,422.34 | 25% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $2,444.00, median $3,444.38, highest $4,149.75 — a 1.7× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 9 facilities here, median $2,739.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 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
An MRI of the cervical spine uses a magnet and radio waves to make detailed pictures of the neck part of the spine, including discs, nerves and the spinal cord. It is commonly ordered for neck pain that spreads into the arm, numbness, tingling or weakness in the hands. No contrast dye is used.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the scan of the neck section of the spine. The radiologist's reading is often billed separately.