Lower back MRI with contrast cost in Slidell, LA
In Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for MRI of the lower back, without and then with contrast dye: from $1,394.40 to $1,394.40, with a median of $1,394.40. Across Louisiana, the median is $1,252.26 at 13 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 72158, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jul 1, 2026 and Jul 1, 2026.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeview Hospital Covington, LA MRI Scan of Lower Spinal Canal Before and After Contrast | $1,394.40 | $9,960.00 | $1,055.76–$9,960.00 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $1,394.40, median $1,394.40, highest $1,394.40.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. 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 lumbar spine takes one set of pictures without contrast dye and a second set after the dye is injected into a vein. The dye helps tell scar tissue from a new disc problem after back surgery and can show infection, inflammation or tumors.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers both sets of images; the contrast agent may appear as a separate line on some bills. The radiologist's reading is often billed separately.