MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, 4 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye: from $520.00 to $5,237.00, with a median of $2,598.70. The lowest listed price is at Central Iowa Hospital Corporation.
Cash prices at 4 facilities across 3 cities for code 72148, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Mar 31, 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation lowest Des Moines, IA PR MRI, LUMBAR SPINE | $520.00 | $650.00 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation Des Moines, IA PR MRI, LUMBAR SPINE | $520.00 | $650.00 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp Des Moines, IA HC MRI Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $2,589.60 | $3,984.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Newton Newton, IA HC MRI Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $2,598.70 | $3,998.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation Des Moines, IA HC MRI SPINE LUMBAR WO CONTRAST | $4,099.13 | $5,123.91 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation Des Moines, IA HC MRI SPINE LUMBAR WO CONTRAST | $4,099.13 | $5,123.91 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp West Des Moines, IA HC MRI Lumbar Spine W/O Contrast | $5,237.00 | $5,237.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $520.00, median $2,598.70, highest $5,237.00 — a 10.1× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 4 facilities here, median $2,598.70. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
What it is
An MRI of the lower back uses a magnet and radio waves to make detailed pictures of the lumbar spine, including discs, nerves and the spinal canal. It is commonly ordered for back pain that spreads down the leg, numbness or weakness. No contrast dye is used.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the scan. The radiologist's interpretation is often billed separately.