Thoracic spine MRI cost in Marion, IL — inpatient
In Marion-Herrin, IL, 1 hospital lists a cash price for MRI of the mid back (thoracic spine), no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $953.72 to $953.72, with a median of $953.72. Across Illinois, the median is $1,777.50 at 64 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 72146, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 3, 2026 and Feb 3, 2026.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heartland Regional Medical Center Marion, IL · (618) 998-7000 HC MRI THORACIC SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $953.72 | $5,019.53 | $953.71–$4,517.58 | 81% | Feb 3, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $953.72, median $953.72, highest $953.72.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $953.72 — 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.
1 row held back from this comparison
It is priced below $1 or below a tenth of the national median for code 72146 ($1,673.76). Such a line is almost always a physician's fee billed separately, an assistant's share or a placeholder — a real charge, but not the price of the procedure itself.
| Heartland Regional Medical Center Marion, ILCHG MRI SPINAL CANAL THORACIC W/O CONTRAST MATRL | $150.85 | file |