MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
In Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 14 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye: from $231.94 to $5,143.70, with a median of $1,056.00. The lowest listed price is at Harris Health.
Cash prices at 14 facilities across 9 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 Mar 5, 2026 and Sep 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris Health lowest Houston, TX MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $231.94 | $5,326.00 | 96% | — source file |
| Harris Health Taub Loop Houston, TX MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $231.94 | $5,326.00 | 96% | — source file |
| Hsa St. Joseph LLC Houston, TX MRI SPINE LUMBAR WO CONTR | $235.85 | $7,832.15 | 97% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| The Methodist Hospital Houston, TX HC MRI LUM SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,056.00 | $2,112.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Baytown, TX HC MRI LUM SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,056.00 | $2,112.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Cypress, TX HC MRI LUM SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,056.00 | $2,112.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital The Woodlands, TX HC MRI LUM SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,056.00 | $2,112.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Sugar Land, TX HC MRI LUM SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,056.00 | $2,112.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Houston, TX HC MRI LUM SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,056.00 | $2,112.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist West Houston Hospital Houston, TX HC MRI LUM SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,056.00 | $2,112.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital Katy, TX HC MRI LUM SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,056.00 | $2,112.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Nassau Bay, TX HC MRI LUM SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,056.00 | $2,112.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX TC MR, SPINE LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST | $3,694.38 | $5,514.00 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX TC MR, SPINE LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST | $3,694.38 | $5,514.00 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX TC MR, SPINE LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST | $3,694.38 | $5,514.00 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Shriners Childrens Texas Galveston, TX MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O DYE | $5,143.70 | $5,143.70 | — | — source file |
Outpatient: lowest $231.94, median $1,056.00, highest $5,143.70 — a 22.2× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $1,056.00. 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.