Lower back MRI with contrast cost in Washington
In Washington, 31 hospitals publish a cash price for MRI of the lower back, without and then with contrast dye: from $450.00 to $9,127.50, with a median of $3,206.98. The lowest price is at Seattle Children's Hospital (Seattle). The highest price is 20.3× the lowest.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 72158. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Sep 23, 2026.
Lowest$450.00Seattle Children's Hospital
Median$3,206.98half pay less
Highest$9,127.50in Washington
Lowest saves$2,756.98vs the median
Hospitals in Washington, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Children's Hospital lowest Seattle · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MRI, Lumbar Spine Combo | $450.00 | $450.00 | — source file |
| Swedish Issaquah Issaquah · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,108.32 | $2,309.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Swedish Medical Center / Cherry Hill Seattle · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,108.32 | $2,309.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Overlake Medical Center & Clinics Bellevue · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Hc Mri Lumbar Spine Wo/W Con | $1,140.00 | $2,280.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Holy Family Hospital Spokane · Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,267.70 | $1,811.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Regional Medical Center Everett Everett · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,798.16 | $3,458.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Virginia Mason Medical Center Seattle · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MRI LUMBAR SPINE W+WO MAGNEVIS | $1,877.82 | $3,682.00 | — source file |
| Providence Mount Carmel Hospital Colville · Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE LIMITED | $2,102.10 | $3,003.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Centralia Hospital Centralia · Centralia, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $2,159.04 | $4,152.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence St Peter Hospital Olympia · Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $2,159.04 | $4,152.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Confluence Health Hospital Wenatchee · Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA HC MRI Spine Lumbar W/ + W/O Contrast | $2,646.00 | $2,940.00 | — source file |
| Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center Vancouver · Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA HC MR SPINE LUMBAR WITH/WITHOUT CONTRAST | $2,648.75 | $4,075.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center Friday Harbor · Friday Harbor, WA MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL BEFORE AND AFTER CONTRAST | $2,899.00 | $4,460.00 | — source file |
| Saint Clare Hospital Lakewood · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE WO W/CON | $3,039.24 | $10,544.09 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| PeaceHealth United General Medical Center Sedro Woolley · Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL BEFORE AND AFTER CONTRAST | $3,104.40 | $4,776.00 | — source file |
| St Anthony Hospital Gig Harbor · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE WO W/CON | $3,206.98 | $10,544.09 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Highline Medical Center Burien · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE WO W/CON | $3,219.70 | $10,544.09 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St Francis Community Hospital Federal Way · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE WO W/CON | $3,308.98 | $10,544.09 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St Joseph Medical Center Tacoma · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE WO W/CON | $3,492.18 | $10,544.09 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Cascade Valley Hospital Arlington · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HC LUMBAR SPINE WW/O CONTRAST | $3,532.00 | $4,415.00 | — source file |
| Jefferson Healthcare Port Townsend · Port Townsend, WA MRI scan of lower spinal canal before and after contrast | $3,604.80 | $4,506.00 | Aug 6, 2026 source file |
| Enumclaw Regional Hospital Association Enumclaw · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE WO W/CON | $3,725.91 | $10,544.09 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Providence St Joseph Hospital Chewelah · Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $3,847.90 | $5,497.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| St. Joseph Medical Center Bellingham · Bellingham, WA MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL BEFORE AND AFTER CONTRAST | $3,856.45 | $5,933.00 | — source file |
| Kadlec Regional Medical Center Richland · Kennewick-Richland, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE LIMITED | $3,922.10 | $5,603.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Skagit Valley Hospital Mount Vernon · Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA HC LUMBAR SPINE WW/O CONTRAST | $4,234.00 | $5,292.50 | — source file |
| PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center Vancouver · Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL BEFORE AND AFTER CONTRAST | $4,281.55 | $6,587.00 | — source file |
| Harrison Medical Center Silverdale · Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE WO W/CON | $4,653.62 | $10,544.09 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Providence St Mary Medical Center Walla Walla · Walla Walla, WA HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $4,686.50 | $6,695.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| St. John Medical Center Longview · Longview-Kelso, WA MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL BEFORE AND AFTER CONTRAST | $5,112.25 | $7,865.00 | — source file |
| Shriners Childrens - Spokane Spokane · Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $9,127.50 | $9,127.50 | — source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 13 | $450.00 | $3,039.24 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 4 | $1,267.70 | $2,975.00 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 2 | $3,104.40 | $3,669.20 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 2 | $2,648.75 | $3,465.15 |
| Bellingham, WA | 1 | $3,856.45 | $3,856.45 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 1 | $4,653.62 | $4,653.62 |
| Centralia, WA | 1 | $2,159.04 | $2,159.04 |
| Friday Harbor, WA | 1 | $2,899.00 | $2,899.00 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 1 | $3,922.10 | $3,922.10 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 1 | $5,112.25 | $5,112.25 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 1 | $2,159.04 | $2,159.04 |
| Port Townsend, WA | 1 | $3,604.80 | $3,604.80 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 1 | $4,686.50 | $4,686.50 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 1 | $2,646.00 | $2,646.00 |
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.
MRI of the lower back, without and then with contrast dye in other states
- Alabama$3,949.76
- Alaska$3,428.10
- Arizona$1,098.94
- Arkansas$902.85
- California$3,783.24
- Colorado$1,512.80
- Connecticut$2,411.27
- Delaware$3,788.10
- Florida$3,659.37
- Georgia$2,370.03
- Hawaii$2,037.60
- Idaho$2,263.00
- Illinois$2,767.50
- Indiana$1,527.41
- Iowa$2,413.35
- Kansas$3,053.70
- Kentucky$4,317.77
- Louisiana$1,252.26
- Maine$2,591.25
- Maryland$826.38
- Massachusetts$3,158.25
- Michigan$2,638.00
- Minnesota$1,861.38
- Mississippi$1,753.29
- Missouri$2,496.33
- Montana$2,787.34
- Nebraska$1,966.02
- Nevada$2,926.43
- New Hampshire$2,814.63
- New Jersey$476.54
- New Mexico$2,105.08
- New York$1,557.00
- North Carolina$2,656.05
- North Dakota$2,884.67
- Ohio$2,123.55
- Oklahoma$1,537.48
- Oregon$2,757.88
- Pennsylvania$2,915.10
- Puerto Rico$985.00
- Rhode Island$1,823.70
- South Carolina$2,265.90
- South Dakota$4,207.60
- Tennessee$953.70
- Texas$3,196.33
- Utah$2,845.91
- Vermont$3,957.52
- Virginia$3,315.50
- West Virginia$1,949.50
- Wisconsin$2,700.06
- Wyoming$1,841.03
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.