How Much Does a CT Scan Cost? Prices With and Without Insurance (2026)

A CT scan can cost anywhere from about $300 to $6,750, according to CareCredit. That's a wide range, because CT scan cost depends on the body part being scanned, whether contrast dye is used, the type of facility, where you live, and how your health insurance applies to the bill.

This guide covers typical CT scan prices by body part, why the same scan can cost very different amounts at a hospital and an imaging center, what you'll pay with or without insurance, and how to get a reliable estimate before you book.

Average CT scan cost by body part

A computed tomography (CT) scan uses X-rays and a computer to create cross-sectional images of the body. CareCredit reports these typical list-price ranges for common CT scans without insurance:

• Head or brain: $825 to $4,800
• Chest: $675 to $8,600
• Abdomen: $1,750 to $9,500
• Pelvis: $1,700 to $10,200
• Shoulder, arm, wrist, or hand: $625 to $8,400
• Foot, ankle, leg, or hip: $640 to $11,200

The high end of each range usually reflects hospital list prices, which few people actually pay in full. Insurers pay negotiated rates, and many facilities offer lower self-pay prices. Prices also vary by city: CareCredit lists average CT costs of about $822 in Chicago, $1,352 in Los Angeles, $1,415 in Philadelphia, and $1,436 in Houston.

What's included in the price of a CT scan

A CT bill usually has two parts:

• Technical fee. Covers the CT scanner, the technologist, supplies, and the facility. Hospitals may also add a facility fee.
• Professional fee. Covers the radiologist who reads the images and writes the report.

Some imaging centers quote one "global" price that includes both. Others bill the radiologist's read separately, so you may get two bills for one scan. Contrast dye, extra image sets, and lab work to check kidney function before contrast can add to the total.

CT scan with contrast vs. without contrast

A CT scan without contrast uses X-rays alone. A scan with contrast uses an iodine-based dye, given by IV or as a drink, to make blood vessels, organs, and some abnormalities easier to see. A scan "with and without contrast" takes images both before and after the dye.

Contrast scans cost more because they need the dye itself, IV supplies, more scanner and technologist time, and monitoring for reactions. Your doctor decides whether contrast is needed based on the medical question. When you ask for a price, make sure the quote matches the exact order, because "with contrast" and "without contrast" are billed under different procedure codes.

Why CT scan prices vary so much

• Facility type. Hospital outpatient departments usually charge more than freestanding imaging centers or physician offices for the same scan.
• Body part and complexity. A head CT is usually simpler than a multi-phase abdomen and pelvis scan or a CT angiogram of the heart and blood vessels.
• Contrast. A scan with contrast costs more than the same scan without it.
• Location. Prices follow local labor costs and competition, so the same scan can cost much more in one city than another.
• Insurance contracts. Each facility negotiates its own rates with each insurer, so in-network prices differ across town.
• Setting. A CT done in the emergency room adds emergency facility and physician charges on top of the scan.

Hospital vs. imaging center: where CT scans cost less

For the same scan, a freestanding imaging center or physician office usually costs less than a hospital outpatient department. Hospitals carry higher overhead, including round-the-clock staffing and emergency readiness, and often add facility fees. The Health Care Cost Institute found that in 2022, commercially insured imaging services cost about 3.7 times more in hospital outpatient departments than in physician offices: an average of $1,416 vs. $387 for the most complex level of imaging studied, and $227 vs. $61 for the simplest.

When your doctor agrees it's appropriate, you can ask them to send your CT order to a lower-cost, in-network imaging center. Hospitals still make sense for emergencies, inpatient care, and scans that need close monitoring. If you have chest pain, a serious head injury, or other emergency symptoms, go to the emergency room. Cost should never delay emergency care. For problems that aren't life-threatening, see our guide to urgent care cost without insurance for how urgent care and ER bills compare.

CT scan cost with insurance

Most health insurance plans cover CT scans when they're medically necessary, but many require prior authorization first. Check with your insurance company before you book, because skipping a required authorization can leave you with the full bill.

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your plan's cost sharing:

• Deductible. Until you meet your deductible, you usually pay the full negotiated rate for the scan.
• Coinsurance or copay. After the deductible, you pay a percentage of the allowed amount or a flat fee, depending on your plan.
• Out-of-pocket maximum. Once your spending on covered, in-network care reaches the yearly cap, your plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year. Our guide to the deductible vs. out-of-pocket maximum explains how they work together.
• Network. Out-of-network imaging can cost far more, and your plan may cover little or none of it. See in-network vs. out-of-network for how that works.

Example: your plan's negotiated rate for an abdomen and pelvis CT is $900, you have $500 left on your deductible, and your coinsurance is 20%. You pay $500 toward your deductible, then 20% of the remaining $400 ($80), for a total of $580. If you'd already met your deductible, you'd owe $180.

If you're on a high-deductible plan and haven't met your deductible, compare the imaging center's self-pay price with your in-network rate. A cash price is sometimes lower, but cash payments may not count toward your deductible. Ask your insurer before you decide.

CT scan cost without insurance

Uninsured and self-pay patients pay the facility's self-pay rate rather than an insurance rate. Many independent imaging centers post or quote cash prices well below hospital list prices for the same scan, so it pays to compare. Ask for the discounted cash price, and ask whether the quote includes the radiologist's read and any contrast.

Under the No Surprises Act, if you're uninsured or choose not to use insurance, providers and facilities must give you a good faith estimate of expected charges when you schedule a service at least 3 business days ahead, or when you ask for one. If your bill comes in at least $400 more than the estimate, you can start a patient-provider dispute resolution process within 120 days of getting the bill.

Hospitals must also publish their prices, including discounted cash prices, under the federal hospital price transparency rule. Many hospitals have an online price estimator you can use before you call. If a bill is hard to manage, ask about payment plans and the hospital's financial assistance policy.

CT scan vs. MRI cost

CT scans generally cost less than MRIs; see our guide to MRI cost for MRI prices. The two tests answer different questions. CT is fast and is often used for injuries, internal bleeding, lung conditions, and kidney stones. MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves instead of X-rays and shows soft tissue, joints, the brain, and the spinal cord in more detail. Don't swap one test for the other to save money without talking to your doctor, because the wrong test can lead to repeat imaging and a higher total cost.

Paying for a CT scan

The IRS defines medical expenses as the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease (Publication 502). See our HSA vs. FSA guide for how these accounts work, and keep your itemized bill and explanation of benefits for your records.

How to estimate your CT scan cost before you book

1. Get the CPT code. Ask your doctor for the procedure code on your order, such as 70450 for a head CT without contrast or 74177 for an abdomen and pelvis CT with contrast. Use it when you call for quotes.
2. Call two or three facilities. Ask each for the in-network price and the self-pay price.
3. Ask what's included. Confirm whether the quote covers the radiologist's read, contrast, and any facility fee.
4. Check with your insurer. Confirm the facility is in network, whether prior authorization is needed, and what you'll owe after your deductible.
5. Request a good faith estimate if you're paying on your own.
6. Ask about payment plans if the total is more than you can pay at once.

Don't put off a scan your doctor says you need because of cost. A few phone calls with your CPT code in hand usually give you a clear, realistic price.