Lower back MRI with contrast cost in Atlanta, GA
In Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, 37 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the lower back, without and then with contrast dye: from $348.00 to $8,509.00, with a median of $2,370.03. The lowest listed price is at Southern Regional Medical Center — $2,022.03 less than the median here. Across Georgia, the median is $2,370.03 at 85 hospitals.
Cash prices at 37 facilities across 26 cities for code 72158, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 17, 2026 and Jul 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Regional Medical Center lowest Southwest Riverdale, GA · (770) 991-8160 Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine Combo | $348.00 | $5,585.00 | $330.80–$5,585.00 | 94% | Mar 17, 2026 source file |
| Tanner Medical Center - Carrollton Carrollton, GA · (770) 836-9580 MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL BEFORE AND AFTER CONTRAST | $2,038.40 | $5,096.00 | $348.22–$383.04 | 60% | — source file |
| Tanner Medical Center - Villa Rica Villa Rica, GA · (770) 456-3101 MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL BEFORE AND AFTER CONTRAST | $2,038.40 | $5,096.00 | $348.22–$417.86 | 60% | — source file |
| Piedmont Rockdale Conyers, GA · (770) 918-3000 HC MRI Lumb Spine W/WO Cntrst | $2,113.98 | $7,046.60 | $531.80–$5,284.95 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Piedmont Fayette Fayetteville, GA · (770) 719-7000 HC MRI Lumb Spine W/WO Cntrst | $2,113.98 | $7,046.60 | $648.99–$5,989.61 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Piedmont Eastside Snellville, GA · (770) 979-0200 HC MRI Lumb Spine W/WO Cntrst | $2,113.98 | $7,046.60 | $683.00–$6,341.94 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Piedmont Walton Monroe, GA · (770) 267-8461 HC MRI Lumb Spine W/WO Cntrst | $2,113.98 | $7,046.60 | $632.08–$6,341.94 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Piedmont Atlanta Atlanta, GA · (404) 605-5000 HC MRI Lumb Spine W/WO Cntrst | $2,113.98 | $7,046.60 | $683.00–$5,989.61 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Piedmont Newnan Newnan, GA · (770) 400-2300 HC MRI Lumb Spine W/WO Cntrst | $2,113.98 | $7,046.60 | $663.79–$6,553.34 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Piedmont Mountainside Jasper, GA · (706) 692-2441 HC MRI Lumb Spine W/WO Cntrst | $2,113.98 | $7,046.60 | $683.00–$5,989.61 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Piedmont Newton Covington, GA · (770) 786-7053 HC MRI Lumb Spine W/WO Cntrst | $2,113.98 | $7,046.60 | $683.00–$5,989.61 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Piedmont Henry Stockbridge, GA · (678) 604-1000 HC MRI Lumb Spine W/WO Cntrst | $2,113.98 | $7,046.60 | $597.55–$5,989.61 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital Marietta, GA Hc Mri Lumbar Spine W Plus W/O Contrast | $2,370.03 | $6,077.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Cobb Hospital Austell, GA · (770) 732-4000 Hc Mri Lumbar Spine W Plus W/O Contrast | $2,370.03 | $6,077.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar North Fulton Hospital Roswell, GA · (770) 751-2500 Hc Mri Lumbar Spine W Plus W/O Contrast | $2,370.03 | $6,077.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Marietta, GA · (770) 793-5000 Hc Mri Lumbar Spine W Plus W/O Contrast | $2,370.03 | $6,077.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Paulding Hospital Hiram, GA · (470) 644-7000 Hc Mri Lumbar Spine W Plus W/O Contrast | $2,370.03 | $6,077.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital Griffin, GA · (770) 228-2721 Hc Mri Lumbar Spine W Plus W/O Contrast | $2,370.03 | $6,077.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Roosevelt Long Term Acute Care At Warm Sp Warm Springs, GA Hc Mri Lumbar Spine W Plus W/O Contrast | $2,370.03 | $6,077.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Sylvan Grove Hospital Jackson, GA · (770) 775-7861 Hc Mri Lumbar Spine W Plus W/O Contrast | $2,370.03 | $6,077.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Wellstar Douglas Hospital Douglasville, GA · (770) 949-1500 Hc Mri Lumbar Spine W Plus W/O Contrast | $2,370.03 | $6,077.00 | — | 61% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Tanner Medical Center - Carrollton Carrollton, GA · (770) 836-9580 MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $2,452.80 | $6,132.00 | $348.22–$383.04 | 60% | — source file |
| Willowbrooke at Tanner Villa Rica, GA · (770) 456-3101 MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $2,452.80 | $6,132.00 | $348.22–$383.04 | 60% | — source file |
| Higgins General Hospital Bremen, GA · (770) 812-2000 MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $2,452.80 | $6,132.00 | — | 60% | — source file |
| Tanner Medical Center - Villa Rica Villa Rica, GA · (770) 456-3101 MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $2,452.80 | $6,132.00 | $348.22–$417.86 | 60% | — source file |
| Piedmont Cartersville Cartersville, GA · (470) 490-1000 HC MRI Lumb Spine W/WO Cntrst | $2,857.68 | $9,525.60 | $683.00–$8,573.04 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Shepherd Center Northwest Atlanta, GA HC MRI LUMB SPINE W/WO CNTRST | $2,889.00 | $5,778.00 | $1,733.40–$5,200.20 | 50% | — source file |
| DeKalb Medical at Decatur Decatur, GA Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine Combo - Mri Lumbar Spine W Wo Contrast | $3,812.00 | $3,812.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emory Decatur Hospital Decatur, GA · (404) 501-1000 Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine Combo - Mri Lumbar Spine W Wo Contrast | $3,812.00 | $3,812.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Saint Josephs Hospital of Atlanta Atlanta, GA · (678) 843-7001 Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine Combo - Mri Lumbar Spine W Wo Contrast | $3,812.00 | $3,812.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Emory Hillandale Hospital Lithonia, GA · (404) 501-8040 Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine Combo - Mri Lumbar Spine W Wo Contrast | $3,812.00 | $3,812.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emory Johns Creek Hospital Johns Creek, GA · (678) 474-7000 Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine Combo - Mri Lumbar Spine W Wo Contrast | $3,812.00 | $3,812.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emory Rehabilitation Hospital Atlanta, GA Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine Combo - Mri Lumbar Spine W Wo Contrast | $3,812.00 | $3,812.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emory University Hospital Midtown Atlanta, GA · (404) 686-2450 Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine Combo - Mri Lumbar Spine W Wo Contrast | $3,812.00 | $3,812.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emory University Hospital Atlanta, GA · (404) 686-8500 Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine Combo - Mri Lumbar Spine W Wo Contrast | $3,812.00 | $3,812.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite Atlanta, GA · (404) 785-5252 MRI Scan of Spine Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast | $6,444.00 | $6,444.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – Meridian Mark Atlanta, GA MRI Scan of Spine Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast | $6,444.00 | $6,444.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – Arthur M. Blank Atlanta, GA MRI Scan of Spine Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast | $6,444.00 | $6,444.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite Atlanta, GA · (404) 785-5252 MRI Scan of Spine Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast Limited | $6,444.00 | $6,444.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – Meridian Mark Atlanta, GA MRI Scan of Spine Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast Limited | $6,444.00 | $6,444.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – Arthur M. Blank Atlanta, GA MRI Scan of Spine Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast Limited | $6,444.00 | $6,444.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – Hughes Spalding Atlanta, GA MRI Lumbar Spine W&WO Dye | $8,509.00 | $8,509.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – Hughes Spalding Atlanta, GA MRI Scan of Spine Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast Limited | $8,882.00 | $8,882.00 | — | — | — source file |
| Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – Hughes Spalding Atlanta, GA MRI Scan of Spine Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast | $8,882.00 | $8,882.00 | — | — | — source file |
Outpatient: lowest $348.00, median $2,370.03, highest $8,509.00 — a 24.5× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 28 facilities here, median $2,370.03. 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 12 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 none is it 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 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.