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Reviewed by John Caruso, FSA, MAAA • Data last updated

PET Scan Cost (2026): $1,430–$3,590

Typical cost

$1,430–$3,590

Sticker price is almost never what patients actually pay.

Your actual cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, and where you are in your plan.

👉 The same PET Scan could cost you $0 or $3,590.

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A PET scan uses a small amount of radioactive tracer to show how tissues are working. It is used mostly in cancer care, and also for some heart and brain conditions.

CostKits Data - PET Scan

$1,430–$3,590
National typical range
Median across all 50 states
16×
National price spread
Cheapest vs. most expensive market
4,384
Facilities in our database
97% have observed negotiated rates
High
Shopping potential
Facility type is the biggest cost lever
50
States with cost data
Updated 2026

Facility Choice Is the Biggest Cost Driver

Setting Typical Allowed Amount
Hospital outpatient dept. $3,050–$4,150
Independent Imaging Center $1,600–$2,150

Same procedure, same clinical outcome - 40–55% lower allowed amount. Ask your physician if the procedure can be performed at an imaging center.

CostKits Market Intelligence - PET Scan

Confidence: High
Sources Used
  • CMS Medicare fee schedules (MPFS, OPPS, ASC)
  • Hospital price transparency files
  • Commercial rate relativity model
Estimate Composition
Observed negotiated rates
95%
Medicare baseline
5%
Estimated relativity
0%
305 geographic markets analyzed
4,384 facilities in dataset
50 states + 255 metros

Where people are getting PET Scan done

A sample of real facilities across major U.S. metros - click a pin to save one, or enter your ZIP to find facilities near you.

Click a pin to save a facility - auto-cycling through major metros

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Facility locations from CMS hospital price-transparency filings. Get a personalized cost estimate →
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How to Use This Data

These prices come from hospital price transparency files that hospitals are required by law to publish. They represent the range of what hospitals declare as their charges - actual negotiated rates with insurers are typically 40–60% lower.

If you have insurance: Your out-of-pocket cost is determined by your deductible, coinsurance, and your insurer's negotiated rate with the specific facility. Call your insurer for a pre-service cost estimate before scheduling.

If you are uninsured: Call 2–3 facilities directly and ask for their self-pay or cash-pay rate. Most facilities offer 20–50% discounts off list prices for upfront payment.

If you received a bill: Upload it to CostKits to compare what you were charged against what other facilities in your state reported.

What you pay for a pet scan depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

Your personalized cost report includes:

  • ✓ Tracer: The tracer drug is billed separately from the scan at many hospitals, so the listed price may not include it.
  • ✓ PET vs. PET/CT: A combined PET/CT is priced differently from a PET alone.
  • ✓ Which bills usually arrive separately, and which providers to check are in-network
  • ✓ The questions to ask before you schedule, so the estimate covers everything
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

Free for patients - takes 30 seconds to get.

We'll send a sign-in link to your email - click it to get your guide. No account required, no spam.

What's Actually on a PET Scan Bill?

A single pet scan can generate multiple separate bills. Each provider bills independently and they often arrive weeks apart. Here's what to expect at a Hospital Outpatient:

Billing Component Always? Typical Amount Separate Bill? Notes
Technical / Facility Fee Always - Often
Radiologist Fee Always - Usually

PET Scan Cost-Saving Decision Guide

Three moves that reduce your actual out-of-pocket cost - not just awareness, but specific decisions you can make before scheduling:

Choose the right facility
If: Procedure is non-urgent + a hospital outpatient department is where you're scheduled
Typical savings: $750–$1,625 - Moving from a hospital outpatient department to independent imaging center is typically the single biggest lever - identical care, lower overhead

Common PET Scan Billing Surprises

The sticker price is rarely the whole story. These are the charges that most often surprise people after a pet scan - knowing them in advance is how you catch errors and avoid out-of-network bills.

You May Receive Two Bills

Most pet scan episodes produce a facility charge and a separate professional (radiologist) charge. Even when the facility is in-network, the radiologist can be out-of-network.

The Radiologist Bills Separately

The radiologist bills independently from the facility and may arrive later as its own statement.

Facility Fees

Hospital facility fees are typically far higher than ambulatory or independent settings for the identical service.

Out-of-Network Radiologist

Confirm the radiologist - not just the facility - is in your network before the procedure.

Explore PET Scan Costs

How Insurance Affects the Cost of This Procedure

Understanding these insurance concepts can help you estimate what you may actually pay for this procedure.

Cheapest States for PET Scan

The 10 lowest-cost states for pet scan, by typical facility price range. Use these as a benchmark - even within a low-cost state, an independent imaging center usually beats a hospital outpatient department.

  1. 1. Tennessee $748–$1,405
  2. 2. Vermont $642–$1,585
  3. 3. Nevada $900–$1,555
  4. 4. Rhode Island $1,534–$1,603
  5. 5. Louisiana $1,279–$2,127
  6. 6. Arizona $1,310–$2,190
  7. 7. Oklahoma $1,375–$2,189
  8. 8. Mississippi $1,159–$2,528
  9. 9. New Jersey $1,594–$2,131
  10. 10. Maine $1,331–$2,459

Most Expensive States for PET Scan

The 10 highest-cost states for pet scan. If you're in one of these, shopping facilities and asking for the cash-pay rate matters most.

  1. 1. South Dakota $6,312–$10,553
  2. 2. Alaska $5,445–$8,626
  3. 3. Maryland $4,290–$6,976
  4. 4. New Hampshire $3,517–$5,981
  5. 5. Nebraska $2,802–$6,250
  6. 6. Wyoming $1,808–$6,772
  7. 7. Idaho $985–$7,133
  8. 8. Iowa $2,786–$4,897
  9. 9. Oregon $2,534–$4,797
  10. 10. Colorado $2,357–$4,872

PET Scan Cost by State

Data source: CMS Hospital Price Transparency Machine-Readable Files. Prices represent hospital-declared charges and do not include physician fees, anesthesia, or other separately-billed services.

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About the Author

John Caruso, FSA, MAAA

Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.

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Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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