Lower back MRI with contrast cost in Columbus, NC — inpatient
In Columbus, NC, 1 hospital lists a cash price for MRI of the lower back, without and then with contrast dye as an inpatient: from $4,669.46 to $4,669.46, with a median of $4,669.46. Across North Carolina, the median is $2,656.05 at 37 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 72158, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 2026.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AdventHealth Polk Columbus, NC · (828) 894-3311 HC MRI, LUMBAR SPINE COMBO | $4,669.46 | $4,669.46 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $4,669.46, median $4,669.46, highest $4,669.46.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $4,669.46 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
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.