Thoracic spine MRI cost in Atlanta, GA — inpatient
In Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, 18 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the mid back (thoracic spine), no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $1,762.41 to $2,296.00, with a median of $2,015.96. The lowest listed price is at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and 8 other hospitals — $253.55 less than the median here. Across Georgia, the median is $1,762.41 at 36 hospitals.
Cash prices at 18 facilities across 13 cities for code 72146, 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellstar Kennestone Hospital lowest Marietta, GA · (770) 793-5000 Hc Mri Thoracic Spine W/O Contrast | $1,762.41 | $4,519.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Cobb Hospital lowest Austell, GA · (770) 732-4000 Hc Mri Thoracic Spine W/O Contrast | $1,762.41 | $4,519.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Paulding Hospital lowest Hiram, GA · (470) 644-7000 Hc Mri Thoracic Spine W/O Contrast | $1,762.41 | $4,519.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Roosevelt Long Term Acute Care At Warm Sp lowest Warm Springs, GA Hc Mri Thoracic Spine W/O Contrast | $1,762.41 | $4,519.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital lowest Griffin, GA · (770) 228-2721 Hc Mri Thoracic Spine W/O Contrast | $1,762.41 | $4,519.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Sylvan Grove Hospital lowest Jackson, GA · (770) 775-7861 Hc Mri Thoracic Spine W/O Contrast | $1,762.41 | $4,519.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital lowest Marietta, GA Hc Mri Thoracic Spine W/O Contrast | $1,762.41 | $4,519.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Douglas Hospital lowest Douglasville, GA · (770) 949-1500 Hc Mri Thoracic Spine W/O Contrast | $1,762.41 | $4,519.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar North Fulton Hospital lowest Roswell, GA · (770) 751-2500 Hc Mri Thoracic Spine W/O Contrast | $1,762.41 | $4,519.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Shepherd Center Northwest Atlanta, GA HC MRI THORAC SPINE WO CNTRST | $2,269.50 | $4,539.00 | $2,224.11–$3,858.15 | 50% | — source file |
| Saint Josephs Hospital of Atlanta Atlanta, GA · (678) 843-7001 Hc Mri, Dorsal Spine - Mri Thoracic Spine Wo Contrast | $2,296.00 | $2,296.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Emory Decatur Hospital Decatur, GA · (404) 501-1000 Hc Mri, Dorsal Spine - Mri Thoracic Spine Wo Contrast | $2,296.00 | $2,296.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Es Rehabilitation Atlanta, GA Hc Mri, Dorsal Spine - Mri Thoracic Spine Wo Contrast | $2,296.00 | $2,296.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emory Hillandale Hospital Lithonia, GA · (404) 501-8040 Hc Mri, Dorsal Spine - Mri Thoracic Spine Wo Contrast | $2,296.00 | $2,296.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Decatur Health Resource Decatur, GA Hc Mri, Dorsal Spine - Mri Thoracic Spine Wo Contrast | $2,296.00 | $2,296.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Crawford Long Hospital Atlanta, GA · (404) 686-2450 Hc Mri, Dorsal Spine - Mri Thoracic Spine Wo Contrast | $2,296.00 | $2,296.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emory University Atlanta, GA · (404) 686-8500 Hc Mri, Dorsal Spine - Mri Thoracic Spine Wo Contrast | $2,296.00 | $2,296.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emory Johns Creek Hospital Johns Creek, GA · (678) 474-7000 Hc Mri, Dorsal Spine - Mri Thoracic Spine Wo Contrast | $2,296.00 | $2,296.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $1,762.41, median $2,015.96, highest $2,296.00 — a 1.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 19 facilities here, median $2,269.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. 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 thoracic spine makes detailed pictures of the middle section of the spine, between the neck and the lower back, including discs, vertebrae and the spinal cord. It is ordered for mid-back pain, suspected fractures or nerve symptoms. No contrast dye is used.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the scan of the mid-back section only. The radiologist's reading is often billed separately.