Thoracic spine MRI cost in Louisville, KY — inpatient
In Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN, 3 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the mid back (thoracic spine), no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $527.94 to $1,845.60, with a median of $1,174.40. The lowest listed price is at Norton Clark Hospital — $646.46 less than the median here. Across Kentucky, the median is $3,225.02 at 15 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 3 cities for code 72146, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 11, 2026 and Jun 3, 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 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton Clark Hospital lowest Jeffersonville, IN · (812) 283-2147 HB MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O CONT | $527.94 | $3,771.00 | $1,622.28–$3,299.63 | 86% | Jun 3, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O CONT | $1,174.40 | $5,872.00 | $968.88–$4,991.20 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O CONT | $1,174.40 | $5,872.00 | $968.88–$5,413.98 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O CONT | $1,174.40 | $5,872.00 | $968.88–$5,413.98 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O CONT | $1,174.40 | $5,872.00 | $968.88–$5,413.98 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O CONT | $1,174.40 | $5,872.00 | $968.88–$5,413.98 | 80% | Feb 13, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O CONT | $1,174.40 | $5,872.00 | $968.88–$5,413.98 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| St. Vincent Salem Hospital Salem, IN · (812) 883-5881 MRI THORACIC SPINE WO/C | $1,845.60 | $3,076.00 | $53.22–$2,253.17 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $527.94, median $1,174.40, highest $1,845.60 — a 3.5× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $3,225.02 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 3 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 1 it is 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.