PET/CT scan cost in Washington, DC — inpatient
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 6 hospitals list a cash price for PET/CT scan from the base of the skull to mid-thigh as an inpatient: from $4,409.00 to $5,133.00, with a median of $5,133.00. The lowest listed price is at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center — $724.00 less than the median here.
Cash prices at 6 facilities across 5 cities for code 78815, 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.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center lowest Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chg Pet/Ct-Skull Base/Midthigh Abor | $4,409.00 | $8,818.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center lowest Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chgr-Pet / Ct Skull To Thigh | $4,409.00 | $8,818.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center lowest Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chg Pet/Ct-Skull Base To Mid Thigh | $4,409.00 | $8,818.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 664-7105 HC PET/CT SCAN SKULL-THIGH | $5,133.00 | $10,266.00 | $1,458.59–$11,887.10 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Fairfax, VA · (703) 391-4170 HC PET/CT SCAN SKULL-THIGH | $5,133.00 | $10,266.00 | $1,458.59–$11,887.10 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Alexandria Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 504-3167 HC PET/CT SCAN SKULL-THIGH | $5,133.00 | $10,266.00 | $1,458.59–$11,887.10 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fairfax Hospital Falls Church, VA · (703) 698-1110 HC PET/CT SCAN SKULL-THIGH | $5,133.00 | $10,266.00 | $1,458.59–$11,887.10 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Loudoun Hospital Leesburg, VA · (703) 858-6600 HC PET/CT SCAN SKULL-THIGH | $5,133.00 | $10,266.00 | $1,458.59–$11,887.10 | 50% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $4,409.00, median $5,133.00, highest $5,133.00 — a 1.2× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $5,133.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 5 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
A PET/CT scan combines a PET scan, which shows how active cells are after a tracer is injected, with a CT scan that shows anatomy. This code covers the usual area from the base of the skull to mid-thigh. It is mostly used to find, stage and follow cancer.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the combined scan. The radioactive tracer is often billed separately, as is the radiologist's or nuclear medicine doctor's reading.