Research prices › CT head/brain (without & with contrast)
CT head/brain (without & with contrast)
Hospitals charge about
cash, from typical to high across 103 hospital price lists. This is a range for context, not a personal quote. Seen a real cash price? Share a price →
Core evidence snapshot 2026-07-27. Each source has its own checked date and geography. How these references are built →
Sources and dates differ by location.
Online booking is not available here yet. Start with published evidence, then ask the provider to confirm the full price in writing.
What you're actually buying
A CT scan takes X-ray images from many angles and combines them into a detailed cross-section picture. The scan itself usually takes 10–15 minutes. This version is done twice: first without, then with a contrast dye injected in a vein.
CPT: 70470. Ask for this code when you call for a price. Also match the location, billing unit, and included services.
What changes the total?
Check the body area and whether the order calls for no contrast, contrast, or both. Compare the same study and the same included services.
- Contrast: confirm whether the quoted amount includes the contrast material.
- Interpretation: ask whether the radiologist's professional fee is included.
- Additional services: ask about preparation, separate lab tests, and facility charges.
Before you agree to a price
- Does the price match the contrast instructions on my order?
- Are preparation or lab charges separate?
- Will the written quote include the scan, interpretation, and any facility fee?
Keep the service code 70470, location, included charges, and written quote together. A benchmark on this page does not establish the amount you will be charged.
Prepare questions for your plan →Where the money actually lands
Hospital band: median to high cash price across 103 hospital price lists (Indiana hospitals; more states are being added) · checked 2026-07-15. We show the typical-to-high span because the lowest hospital list prices are often not real-world. Medicare's rate ($162) is a reference line, not a price you can get.
No named provider price passes the evidence gate for this service in the core snapshot. State pages may have additional evidence. We do not infer a provider price from a benchmark.
Before you pay cash
- These are benchmarks, not quotes. Confirm the all-in price in writing before you book.
- Ask what's included. The radiologist's read, facility fee, and follow-up can be billed separately.
- Cash pay may count toward your deductible in some states, but it is not automatic. Learn how →
- We don't advise. Nothing here is medical, legal, or financial advice.
Next steps
Get the exact service and all-in cash price in writing, then ask your plan whether a direct payment may count before you pay.
Check whether it may count Prepare a written quote request
Paid cash for this already? Share a redacted receipt or public price link.
Aggregate benchmarks are calculated from the public-safe data snapshot and labeled by source type, observation count, and date. Named provider prices additionally require a public source, checked date, and archived-evidence marker for the same record. All prices are illustrative, not quotes.