Thoracic spine MRI cost in Maryland
In Maryland, 14 hospitals publish a cash price for MRI of the mid back (thoracic spine), no contrast dye: from $236.08 to $3,045.73, with a median of $495.14. The lowest price is at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital (Leonardtown). The highest price is 12.9× the lowest.
- The median here, $495.14, is 74% below the US median of $1,920.00.
- That is 2.0× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($243.77).
- Maryland has the lowest median of 51 states with at least 5 hospitals pricing this code.
- 2 of 14 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Why Maryland prices look low: Maryland is the only state where a commission (the HSCRC) sets hospital rates for every payer, so its hospitals publish prices far below the rest of the country. A separate physician fee may still apply.
Maryland law (Health-General §19-214.1) requires hospitals to give free medically necessary care to patients with family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and to cut the bill by 75% up to 250% and 60% up to 300%. With medical debt above 25% of family income in a year, discounts reach up to 500%. Immigration status does not count. Ask the hospital for its financial assistance application. Other states' laws.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 72146. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Oct 29, 2026. See them on a map
Hospitals in Maryland, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| MedStar St. Mary's Hospital lowest Leonardtown · Lexington Park, MD MRI SPINE THORACIC WO CONTRAST | $236.08 | $240.90 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Western Maryland Cumberland · Cumberland, MD-WV MRI SPINE, THORACIC W/O CONTR | $247.20 | $412.00 | Mar 2, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MRI SPINE THORACIC WO CONTRAST | $398.91 | $407.05 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Frederick Health Hospital Frederick · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MRI THORACIC SPINE WO CONT | $400.77 | $408.95 | Mar 17, 2025 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD HC MRI, DORSAL SPINE | $403.89 | $412.13 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Southern Hospital Center Clinton · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MRI SPINE THORACIC WO CONTRAST | $440.38 | $449.37 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| TidalHealth Peninsula Salisbury · Salisbury, MD HC MRI-T-SPINE | $469.03 | $478.60 | Mar 19, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Harbor Hospital Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MRI SPINE THORACIC WO CONTRAST | $521.24 | $531.88 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Atlantic General Hospital Berlin · Ocean Pines, MD Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, thoracic; without contrast material | $542.67 | $542.67 | Apr 10, 2026 source file |
| Greater Baltimore Medical Center Towson · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD HC MRI-Thoracic Spine | $544.04 | $555.14 | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Union Memorial Hospital Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD BC-MRI SPINE THORACIC WO CONT | $667.77 | $681.40 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD BC-MRI SPINE THORACIC WO CONT | $685.28 | $699.27 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Montgomery Medical Center Olney · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV BC-MRI SPINE THORACIC WO CONT | $1,435.32 | $1,464.61 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Union Hospital of Cecil County Elkton · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MRI,SPINAL,THORACIC,WO CONTRAST GLR | $3,045.73 | $3,045.73 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 6 | $398.91 | $532.64 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3 | $400.77 | $440.38 |
| Cumberland, MD-WV | 1 | $247.20 | $247.20 |
| Lexington Park, MD | 1 | $236.08 | $236.08 |
| Ocean Pines, MD | 1 | $542.67 | $542.67 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1 | $3,045.73 | $3,045.73 |
| Salisbury, MD | 1 | $469.03 | $469.03 |
What thoracic spine MRI is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Thoracic spine MRI explained.
MRI of the mid back (thoracic spine), no contrast dye in other states
- Alabama$1,516.59
- Alaska$3,112.56
- Arizona$1,794.76
- Arkansas$898.82
- California$2,894.40
- Colorado$2,352.56
- Connecticut$1,434.00
- Delaware$2,517.08
- District of Columbia$1,953.00, 3 hospitals
- Florida$3,775.20
- Georgia$1,762.41
- Hawaii$1,965.00
- Idaho$1,600.88
- Illinois$2,846.58
- Indiana$1,004.64
- Iowa$2,276.67
- Kansas$1,192.70
- Kentucky$1,845.73
- Louisiana$959.31
- Maine$1,411.65
- Massachusetts$1,832.85
- Michigan$1,705.28
- Minnesota$2,002.00
- Mississippi$1,349.32
- Missouri$1,754.77
- Montana$1,752.39
- Nebraska$3,401.28
- Nevada$2,112.37
- New Hampshire$2,494.37
- New Jersey$621.37
- New Mexico$2,218.31
- New York$1,283.68
- North Carolina$2,097.00
- North Dakota$2,074.00
- Ohio$1,677.55
- Oklahoma$1,122.80
- Oregon$1,856.40
- Pennsylvania$2,069.20
- Puerto Rico$725.00
- Rhode Island$2,250.00
- South Carolina$2,161.95
- South Dakota$3,269.60
- Tennessee$976.83
- Texas$2,034.41
- Utah$4,273.11
- Vermont$3,562.90
- Virginia$2,000.00
- Washington$2,105.60
- West Virginia$1,347.75
- Wisconsin$2,210.00
- Wyoming$1,967.43
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.