Thoracic spine MRI cost in Eureka, CA — inpatient
In Eureka-Arcata, CA, 2 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the mid back (thoracic spine), no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $2,136.90 to $4,427.82, with a median of $3,282.36. The lowest listed price is at Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital — $1,145.46 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $2,665.50 at 99 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 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 Eureka-Arcata, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital lowest Fortuna, CA · (707) 445-8121 HC MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O DYE LIMITED | $2,136.90 | $4,190.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence St Joseph Hospital Eureka, CA · (707) 445-8121 HC MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O DYE | $4,427.82 | $8,682.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence St Joseph Hospital Eureka, CA · (707) 445-8121 HC MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O DYE LIMITED | $4,427.82 | $8,682.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $2,136.90, median $3,282.36, highest $4,427.82 — a 2.1× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $2,468.91 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
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.