MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye in Lexington-Fayette, KY
In Lexington-Fayette, KY, 2 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye: from $1,814.34 to $3,235.67, with a median of $2,525.01. The lowest listed price is at University of Kentucky Hospital.
Cash prices at 2 facilities 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 Apr 1, 2026 and Sep 17, 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky Hospital lowest Lexington, KY Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine - Mri Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast | $1,814.34 | $4,535.86 | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Healthcare System INC Lexington, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $3,235.67 | $4,314.23 | 25% | Sep 17, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $1,814.34, median $2,525.01, highest $3,235.67 — a 1.8× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $1,814.34. 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.