Thoracic spine MRI cost in Bakersfield, CA — inpatient
In Bakersfield-Delano, CA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for MRI of the mid back (thoracic spine), no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $1,749.00 to $1,749.00, with a median of $1,749.00. Across California, the median is $2,665.50 at 99 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 72146, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 22, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Sep 11, 2026 and Sep 11, 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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgecrest Regional Hospital lowest Ridgecrest, CA · (760) 446-3551 Mri chest spine w/o dye | $1,749.00 | $3,300.00 | $728.54 | 47% | Sep 11, 2026 source file |
| Ridgecrest Regional Hospital lowest Ridgecrest, CA · (760) 446-3551 Mri t spine w/o contrast | $1,749.00 | $3,300.00 | $728.54 | 47% | Sep 11, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $1,749.00, median $1,749.00, highest $1,749.00.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $1,749.00 — 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 not 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.