MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA — inpatient
In San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, 11 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $899.96 to $4,407.60, with a median of $3,281.60. The lowest listed price is at Hayward Sisters Hospital.
Cash prices at 11 facilities across 11 cities for code 72148, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 23, 2026 and Apr 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward Sisters Hospital lowest Hayward, CA MR lumbar spine wo con | $899.96 | $2,999.85 | 70% | Feb 23, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fremont Fremont, CA MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $3,281.60 | $5,860.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Oakland/Richmond Oakland, CA MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $3,281.60 | $5,860.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City Redwood City, CA MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $3,281.60 | $5,860.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Francisco San Francisco, CA MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $3,281.60 | $5,860.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Antioch Antioch, CA MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $3,281.60 | $5,860.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Rafael San Rafael, CA MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $3,281.60 | $5,860.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - South San Francisco South San Francisco, CA MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $3,281.60 | $5,860.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Walnut Creek Walnut Creek, CA MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $3,281.60 | $5,860.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Leandro San Leandro, CA MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O CONTRAST MATERIAL | $3,281.60 | $5,860.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley Pleasanton, CA MRI L-Spine WO Contrast | $4,407.60 | $11,019.00 | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $899.96, median $3,281.60, highest $4,407.60 — a 4.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $3,281.60 — 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.