Scans and imaging CPT 72156 Outpatient

Neck MRI with contrast cost in Milwaukee, WI

In Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, 15 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the neck (cervical spine) without and with contrast: from $1,426.76 to $3,856.60, with a median of $3,265.00. The lowest listed price is at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - Southeast Wisconsin and 3 other hospitals — $1,838.24 less than the median here. Across Wisconsin, the median is $2,058.50 at 68 hospitals.

Cash prices at 15 facilities across 9 cities for code 72156, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Nov 21, 2025 and Mar 23, 2026.

Lowest$1,426.76Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - Southeast Wisconsin + 3 more
Median$3,265.00half pay less
Highest$3,856.60in this market
Difference2.7×highest vs lowest

Where each hospital's price falls

Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.

median
Lowest $1,426.76Highest $3,856.60

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash price List priceInsurers payOff listFile date
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - Southeast Wisconsin lowest Franklin, WI HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $1,426.76 $2,692.00 $392.51–$1,262.70 47% —
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Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - Southeast Wisconsin lowest Franklin, WI HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $1,426.76 $2,692.00 $392.51–$1,262.70 47% —
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Ascension St. Francis Hospital lowest Milwaukee, WI · (414) 647-5000 HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $1,426.76 $2,692.00 $392.51–$1,262.70 47% —
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Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital lowest Franklin, WI HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $1,426.76 $2,692.00 $392.51–$1,262.70 47% —
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Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital lowest Franklin, WI HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $1,426.76 $2,692.00 $392.51–$1,262.70 47% —
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Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital lowest Milwaukee, WI · (414) 447-2130 HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $1,426.76 $2,692.00 $392.51–$1,262.70 47% —
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Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital lowest Milwaukee, WI · (414) 447-2130 HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $1,426.76 $2,692.00 $392.51–$1,262.70 47% —
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Ascension St. Francis Hospital lowest Milwaukee, WI · (414) 647-5000 HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $1,426.76 $2,692.00 $392.51–$1,262.70 47% —
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Aurora St Lukes South Shore of Aurora Health Care Metro Cudahy, WI MR C SPINE W/WO DYE $3,265.00 $6,530.00 $650.00–$5,550.50 50% Nov 21, 2025
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Aurora West Allis Medical Center West Allis, WI · (414) 328-6000 MR C SPINE W/WO DYE $3,265.00 $6,530.00 $650.00–$5,550.50 50% Nov 21, 2025
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Aurora Medical Center Grafton Grafton, WI · (262) 329-1000 MR C SPINE W/WO DYE $3,265.00 $6,530.00 $650.00–$5,550.50 50% Nov 21, 2025
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Aurora Medical Center Washington County Hartford, WI · (262) 673-2300 MR C SPINE W/WO DYE $3,265.00 $6,530.00 $650.00–$5,550.50 50% Nov 21, 2025
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Aurora Medical Center Kenosha Kenosha, WI · (262) 948-5600 MR CERVICAL SPINE LTD WITH/WITHOUT DYE $3,265.00 $6,530.00 $650.00–$5,550.50 50% Nov 21, 2025
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Aurora Medical Center Kenosha Kenosha, WI · (262) 948-5600 MR C SPINE W/WO DYE $3,265.00 $6,530.00 $650.00–$5,550.50 50% Nov 21, 2025
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Aurora Sinai Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI MR C SPINE W/WO DYE $3,265.00 $6,530.00 $650.00–$5,550.50 50% Nov 21, 2025
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Aurora St Lukes Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI · (414) 649-6000 MR C SPINE W/WO DYE $3,265.00 $6,530.00 $650.00–$5,550.50 50% Nov 21, 2025
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Aurora St Lukes Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI · (414) 649-6000 MR CERVICAL SPINE LTD WITH/WITHOUT DYE $3,265.00 $6,530.00 $650.00–$5,550.50 50% Nov 21, 2025
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Aurora Medical Center Summit Summit, WI · (262) 434-1600 MR C SPINE W/WO DYE $3,265.00 $6,530.00 $650.00–$5,550.50 50% Nov 21, 2025
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Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI · (414) 585-1374 HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $3,371.86 $6,362.00 $179.52–$1,226.10 47% —
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Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee Mequon, WI HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $3,371.86 $6,362.00 $179.52–$1,226.10 47% —
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Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee Mequon, WI HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $3,371.86 $6,362.00 $179.52–$1,226.10 47% —
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Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI · (414) 585-1374 HC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/WO CONTRAST $3,371.86 $6,362.00 $179.52–$1,226.10 47% —
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Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W & WO CONTRAST $3,856.60 $7,012.00 $4,908.40–$6,661.40 45% Mar 23, 2026
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Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC MRI CERVICAL SPINE W & WO CONTRAST $3,856.60 $7,012.00 $4,908.40–$6,661.40 45% Mar 23, 2026
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Outpatient: lowest $1,426.76, median $3,265.00, highest $3,856.60 — a 2.7× difference within the same market.

As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 15 facilities here, median $3,265.00. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.

Cash or insurance?

At 9 of 15 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.

What it is

This MRI of the cervical spine is done without and then with contrast dye. Contrast helps after spine surgery and with tumors, infections and multiple sclerosis.

What the price covers

The price usually covers the scan and the contrast dye. The radiologist's reading may be billed separately.