MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
In Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC, 10 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye: from $1,834.71 to $4,849.62, with a median of $2,000.00. The lowest listed price is at Chesapeake General Hospital.
Cash prices at 10 facilities across 7 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 17, 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake General Hospital lowest Chesapeake, VA Hc Mri-Spine Lumbar Wo Contrast | $1,834.71 | $3,057.85 | 40% | — source file |
| Sentara Hospitals Virginia Beach, VA Chgr-Mr Lumbar Spine W / O Contrast | $2,000.00 | $4,000.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Princess Anne Hospital Virginia Beach, VA Chgr-Mr Lumbar Spine W / O Contrast | $2,000.00 | $4,000.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Hospitals Hampton, VA Chgr-Mr Lumbar Spine W / O Contrast | $2,000.00 | $4,000.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Hospitals Norfolk, VA Chgr-Mr Lumbar Spine W / O Contrast | $2,000.00 | $4,000.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Hospitals Norfolk, VA Chgr-Mr Lumbar Spine W / O Contrast | $2,000.00 | $4,000.00 | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Hospital for Extended Recovery Norfolk, VA Chgr-Mr Lumbar Spine W / O Contrast | $2,000.00 | $4,000.00 | 50% | — source file |
| Mary Immaculate Hospital LLC Newport News, VA HC MRI-Spine Lumbar WO Contrast | $2,826.00 | $4,710.00 | 40% | — source file |
| Harbour View Medical Center LLC Suffolk, VA HC MRI-Spine Lumbar WO Contrast | $2,826.00 | $4,710.00 | 40% | — source file |
| Maryview Hospital LLC Portsmouth, VA HC MRI-Spine Lumbar WO Contrast | $2,826.00 | $4,710.00 | 40% | — source file |
| Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters Norfolk, VA MRI L-SPINE W/O | $4,849.62 | $5,388.47 | 10% | Mar 17, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $1,834.71, median $2,000.00, highest $4,849.62 — a 2.6× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 10 facilities here, median $2,000.00. 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.