Thoracic spine MRI cost in Denver, CO — inpatient
In Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, 7 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the mid back (thoracic spine), no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $952.42 to $3,601.65, with a median of $952.42. The lowest listed price is at AdventHealth Porter and 3 other hospitals. Across Colorado, the median is $952.42 at 12 hospitals.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 5 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 30, 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AdventHealth Porter lowest Denver, CO · (303) 778-1955 HC MRI, DORSAL SPINE | $952.42 | $952.42 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Parker lowest Parker, CO · (303) 269-4000 HC MRI, DORSAL SPINE | $952.42 | $952.42 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Castle Rock lowest Castle Rock, CO · (720) 455-5000 HC MRI, DORSAL SPINE | $952.42 | $952.42 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Littleton lowest Littleton, CO · (303) 730-8900 HC MRI, DORSAL SPINE | $952.42 | $952.42 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Denver Health and Hospital Authority Denver, CO · (303) 436-4927 HC MRI T-SPINE/CANAL W/O CN | $990.10 | $2,828.85 | $970.30 | 65% | Apr 30, 2026 source file |
| National Jewish Health Denver, CO · (303) 388-4461 HC MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,384.60 | $1,978.00 | $251.70–$1,650.00 | 30% | — source file |
| Childrens Hospital Colorado Aurora, CO · (720) 777-1234 HB=MRI THORACIC SPINE WO CONTRAST | $3,601.65 | $5,541.00 | $831.15–$5,097.72 | 35% | Apr 17, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $952.42, median $952.42, highest $3,601.65 — a 3.8× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $952.42 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 3 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 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.