MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye in Lancaster, PA — inpatient
In Lancaster, PA, 3 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $350.49 to $1,656.00, with a median of $402.25. The lowest listed price is at Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 3 cities for code 72148, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Lancaster, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center lowest Lancaster, PA 72148 MRI L SPINE W/WO CONTRAST Tech | $350.49 | $1,209.00 | 71% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center Lancaster, PA 72148 MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O DYE Tech | $350.49 | $1,209.00 | 71% | — source file |
| Ephrata Community Hospital Ephrata, PA MRI Scan of Lower Spinal Canal Without Contrast | $454.00 | $2,225.00 | 80% | — source file |
| UPMC Lititz Lititz, PA HC MRI Lumbar W/O Contrast | $1,656.00 | $2,760.00 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $350.49, median $402.25, highest $1,656.00 — a 4.7× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $402.25 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
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.