Neck (cervical spine) MRI cost in San Jose, CA — inpatient
In San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, 4 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the neck (cervical spine), no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $2,977.50 to $4,512.80, with a median of $3,735.20. The lowest listed price is at El Camino Hospital — $757.70 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $2,549.25 at 99 hospitals.
Cash prices at 4 facilities across 4 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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Camino Hospital lowest Mountain View, CA · (650) 940-7000 HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $2,977.50 | $11,910.00 | — | 75% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Jose San Jose, CA · (408) 972-7000 MRI SPINAL CANAL CERVICAL W/O CONTRAST MATRL | $3,735.20 | $6,670.00 | $323.00–$1,010.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Santa Clara Santa Clara, CA · (408) 236-6400 MRI SPINAL CANAL CERVICAL W/O CONTRAST MATRL | $3,735.20 | $6,670.00 | $323.00–$1,010.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Stanford Health Care Stanford, CA · (650) 723-4000 MRI C Spine WO Contrast | $4,512.80 | $11,282.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $2,977.50, median $3,735.20, highest $4,512.80 — a 1.5× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $3,735.20 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 0 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
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.