MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye cost in Missouri
In Missouri, 25 hospitals publish a cash price for MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye: from $237.00 to $5,395.20, with a median of $1,862.90. The lowest price is at St Joseph Medical Center (Kansas City). The highest price is 22.8× the lowest.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 72148. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Sep 23, 2026.
Lowest$237.00St Joseph Medical Center
Median$1,862.90half pay less
Highest$5,395.20in Missouri
Lowest saves$1,625.90vs the median
Hospitals in Missouri, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph Medical Center lowest Kansas City · Kansas City, MO-KS Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine | $237.00 | $4,708.78 | Mar 17, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Perry Perryville · Perryville, MO MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont Pf | $262.60 | $404.00 | — source file |
| Boone Hospital Center Columbia · Columbia, MO MRI LUMBAR SPINE-CF | $275.40 | $459.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Perry Perryville · Perryville, MO MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O Contrast Material | $467.25 | $623.00 | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| NKC Health North Kansas City · Kansas City, MO-KS MR Lumbar Spine wo Contrast | $681.50 | $2,350.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Western Missouri Medical Center Warrensburg · Warrensburg, MO MRI Spine Lumbar w/o Cont | $710.00 | $2,482.30 | Dec 1, 2024 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Jefferson Festus · St. Louis, MO-IL MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $1,370.20 | $2,108.00 | — source file |
| Curators of the University of Missouri Columbia · Columbia, MO MRI SPINE LUMBAR WO CONTRAST-MM | $1,464.00 | $2,440.00 | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Springfield Springfield · Springfield, MO MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $1,600.30 | $2,462.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Springfield Ozark · Springfield, MO MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $1,600.30 | $2,462.00 | — source file |
| SoutheastHEALTH Center of Stoddard County LLC dba Mercy Hospital Stoddard Dexter · Dexter, MO MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $1,602.25 | $2,465.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital South Saint Louis · St. Louis, MO-IL MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $1,643.20 | $2,528.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Carthage Carthage · Joplin, MO-KS MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $1,862.90 | $2,866.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospitals East Communities dba Mercy Hospital Washington Washington · St. Louis, MO-IL MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $1,882.40 | $2,896.00 | — source file |
| Ranken Jordan Home for Convalescent Crippled Children Hospital Maryland Heights · St. Louis, MO-IL MRI Spine Lumbar w/o Contrast | $1,974.72 | $2,468.40 | Apr 24, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Aurora Aurora · Aurora, MO MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $1,998.10 | $3,074.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Cassville Cassville · Cassville, MO MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $1,998.10 | $3,074.00 | — source file |
| Mercy St. Francis Hospital Mountain View · West Plains, MO MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $1,998.75 | $3,075.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln Troy · St. Louis, MO-IL MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $2,003.30 | $3,082.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospitals East Communities dba Mercy Hospital St Louis Saint Louis · St. Louis, MO-IL MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $2,141.10 | $3,294.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lebanon dba Mercy Hospital Lebanon B Lebanon · Lebanon, MO MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $2,276.95 | $3,503.00 | — source file |
| Southeast Hospital dba Mercy Hospital Southeast Cape Girardeau · Cape Girardeau, MO-IL MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $2,332.20 | $3,588.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Joplin dba Mercy Hospital Joplin Joplin · Joplin, MO-KS MRI Lumbar Spine WO Cont | $2,363.40 | $3,636.00 | — source file |
| Freeman Health System - Freeman West Joplin · Joplin, MO-KS MR - LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAS | $2,969.70 | $4,949.50 | May 1, 2025 source file |
| Shriners Childrens - St Louis Saint Louis · St. Louis, MO-IL MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O DYE | $5,395.20 | $5,395.20 | — source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 7 | $1,370.20 | $1,974.72 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | 3 | $1,862.90 | $2,363.40 |
| Columbia, MO | 2 | $275.40 | $869.70 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 2 | $237.00 | $459.25 |
| Perryville, MO | 2 | $262.60 | $364.92 |
| Springfield, MO | 2 | $1,600.30 | $1,600.30 |
| Aurora, MO | 1 | $1,998.10 | $1,998.10 |
| Cassville, MO | 1 | $1,998.10 | $1,998.10 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 1 | $2,332.20 | $2,332.20 |
| Dexter, MO | 1 | $1,602.25 | $1,602.25 |
| Lebanon, MO | 1 | $2,276.95 | $2,276.95 |
| Warrensburg, MO | 1 | $710.00 | $710.00 |
| West Plains, MO | 1 | $1,998.75 | $1,998.75 |
What it is
An MRI of the lower back uses a magnet and radio waves to make detailed pictures of the lumbar spine, including discs, nerves and the spinal canal. It is commonly ordered for back pain that spreads down the leg, numbness or weakness. No contrast dye is used.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the scan. The radiologist's interpretation is often billed separately.
MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye in other states
- Alabama$2,629.06
- Alaska$2,642.99
- Arizona$726.38
- Arkansas$847.20
- California$2,665.50
- Colorado$981.91
- Connecticut$1,508.65
- Delaware$2,452.48
- Florida$2,324.67
- Georgia$1,775.67
- Hawaii$1,510.20
- Idaho$1,857.00
- Illinois$1,777.50
- Indiana$948.06
- Iowa$1,502.64
- Kansas$1,694.40
- Kentucky$3,235.67
- Louisiana$1,017.63
- Maine$1,293.45
- Maryland$469.03
- Massachusetts$2,312.47
- Michigan$1,426.00
- Minnesota$1,240.46
- Mississippi$682.50
- Montana$1,848.37
- Nebraska$1,503.82
- Nevada$1,950.95
- New Hampshire$1,875.33
- New Jersey$322.54
- New Mexico$1,592.17
- New York$1,008.83
- North Carolina$2,013.08
- North Dakota$1,723.78
- Ohio$1,309.10
- Oklahoma$1,030.18
- Oregon$1,776.00
- Pennsylvania$1,790.00
- Puerto Rico$690.00
- Rhode Island$1,258.00
- South Carolina$2,759.50
- South Dakota$3,189.60
- Tennessee$705.00
- Texas$2,190.02
- Utah$2,229.06
- Vermont$2,912.70
- Virginia$1,954.80
- Washington$2,114.45
- West Virginia$1,381.00
- Wisconsin$1,621.22
- Wyoming$1,227.35
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.