How Much Does PET Scan Cost in 2026?With & Without Insurance
PET Scan costs $1,475-$3,639 for the procedure alone without insurance. Fees such as radioactive tracer and radiologist's reading (at some facilities) are often billed separately.
The median hospital-posted cash price for a PET/CT scan is $2,258, and the middle half of posted prices fall between $1,475 and $3,639. The radioactive tracer may be billed separately. With insurance, your cost depends on prior authorization, your deductible, and your coinsurance.
Quick Price Summary
What this price includes
- Procedure only
$1,475-$3,639
Middle half of 325 hospital-disclosed cash prices for CPT 78815 (PET/CT, skull base to mid-thigh). Median $2,258.
- With insurance, out of pocket
$250-$2,000
Typical copay and coinsurance after deductible; an editorial estimate, not from our price data. Prior authorization and your plan decide the real figure.
Often billed separately
- Radioactive tracer
- Radiologist's reading (at some facilities)
Based on published hospital and provider price-transparency disclosures, cash-pay benchmarks, and public fee schedules. Price figures last reviewed September 27, 2026.
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Real prices from our database
Not an estimate. These figures come from actual hospital-disclosed cash prices for CPT 78815 (PET/CT scan (skull to mid-thigh)) in FairVisitHealth's price-transparency corpus.
Median posted cash price
$2,258
Most fall between $1,475 and $3,639 (25th to 75th percentile)
Median of 325 hospital-posted cash prices. Each posted price counts once, so hospitals that post more prices carry more weight.
The radiotracer drug may be billed separately.
Source: FairVisitHealth analysis of 325 hospital-disclosed cash prices for CPT 78815, from CMS hospital price-transparency machine-readable files. Data as of September 2026. Smaller sample, so treat as indicative.
What is PET Scan?
A PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography) is an advanced imaging test that uses a small amount of radioactive tracer to reveal how your tissues and organs are functioning. PET scans are most commonly used to detect cancer, assess heart disease, and evaluate brain disorders. A PET/CT scan combines PET with a CT scan to provide both functional and structural images in a single session, giving doctors detailed information about disease location and severity.
What Affects PET Scan Cost?
- Type of scan: PET/CT from skull base to mid-thigh (CPT 78815) and whole-body PET/CT (CPT 78816) are billed under different codes.
- Radioactive tracer: FDG is the most common tracer. Specialty tracers for cardiac, brain, or prostate imaging are different drugs, and the tracer may be billed as a separate line.
- Facility type: hospital imaging departments and freestanding imaging centers set their own prices. Our posted cash prices come from hospitals, so ask an imaging center for its own quote.
- Location: posted prices vary widely from one hospital to the next.
- Prior authorization: many insurers require it, and a scan done without it can be denied.
- Radiologist interpretation: some facilities bill the radiologist's reading separately from the facility fee.
How to choose where to get PET Scan
The cash-pay range on this page is $1,475-$3,639. Before you book, use these steps to find out which setting a quote comes from and what it includes.
Step by step
- Get the exact order from your doctor: the body part, and whether the scan is with contrast, without contrast, or both. Each version is a different billing code, so a quote only counts if it matches your order.
- Ask at least one independent imaging center and one hospital outpatient department for a self-pay quote for that exact scan.
- Ask whether the quote includes the radiologist's reading of the images, or whether the radiologist bills you separately.
- At an imaging center outside a hospital, confirm it is accredited for that type of scan. Medicare requires non-hospital centers that bill it for MRI, CT and PET to be accredited by a CMS-approved organization, such as the American College of Radiology. Source: CMS, advanced imaging accreditation
- If you are uninsured or paying without insurance, ask each provider for a Good Faith Estimate. Under the No Surprises Act, providers generally must give you one when you schedule at least 3 business days ahead, or when you ask. Source: CMS, medical bill rights
- Keep every estimate. If a provider or facility bills you at least $400 more than its Good Faith Estimate, you can start the federal patient-provider dispute process for a bill dated within the last 120 days. The fee is $25. Source: CMS, dispute a bill
Care settings compared
| Setting | How it typically bills | What to ask for | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent imaging center | A charge for the scan. The radiologist's reading may be included or billed separately. | A written self-pay quote for the exact scan, and whether the reading is included. | Routine outpatient scans you can schedule ahead. |
| Hospital outpatient department | A hospital facility charge for the scan, with the radiologist often billing separately. | The discounted cash price from the hospital's price list, plus the radiology group's self-pay rate. | When your doctor wants hospital support, such as sedation, or the scan is part of other hospital care. |
General information, not medical advice. Your clinician decides which setting is safe for you.
How to Save on PET Scan
Ask for the self-pay price and whether it includes the tracer and the radiologist's reading.
Compare a hospital imaging department with a freestanding imaging center before booking.
If you have insurance, confirm prior authorization is approved and the facility is in network before the scan.
Ask about financial assistance programs and payment plans.
Use FairVisitHealth to search PET scan prices near you.
These are averages. Get your exact local answer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a PET scan cost without insurance?
A PET/CT scan from skull base to mid-thigh (CPT 78815), the most common PET scan, has a median hospital cash price of $2,258. The middle half of 325 hospital-posted cash prices falls between $1,475 and $3,639. A whole-body PET/CT (CPT 78816) had a median posted cash price of $2,275 across 70 hospitals when we checked in September 2026. The radioactive tracer may be billed separately, so ask whether a quote includes it.
How much is a PET scan with insurance or out of pocket?
With insurance, many patients pay roughly $250-$2,000 out of pocket for a PET scan. That range is an editorial estimate of typical deductible and coinsurance costs, not a figure from our price data. What you owe depends on whether you have met your deductible, your coinsurance after it, and whether the facility, the radiologist, and the tracer are billed separately. Many plans require prior authorization for a PET scan; without it, the claim can be denied and the full bill can fall to you. Ask your insurer for an estimate using the procedure code before the scan.
How do I get a PET scan covered by insurance?
Insurers usually cover a PET scan when it is medically necessary, most often to diagnose, stage, or monitor cancer, and for some heart and brain conditions. Your doctor's office normally requests prior authorization. Confirm it was approved before your appointment, and confirm the imaging facility is in your network. If the request is denied, ask your doctor about an appeal and what documentation the insurer needs.
What is the difference between a PET scan and a PET/CT scan?
A PET scan shows how organs and tissues function, while a PET/CT combines functional PET imaging with structural CT imaging in one session. PET/CT is now the standard for most uses and is billed under its own codes (78815 for skull base to mid-thigh, 78816 for whole body).
How long does a PET scan take?
The scan itself takes about 30-45 minutes, but the entire appointment takes 2-3 hours. You'll need to arrive early for the radioactive tracer injection, then wait 60-90 minutes for it to distribute through your body before the scan begins.
Are PET scans safe?
PET scans are generally safe. The radioactive tracer produces a small radiation exposure, and most of it leaves your body within hours. Your doctor will weigh the diagnostic benefit against the radiation risk.
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Medical Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Pricing information is based on publicly reported data and may not reflect your actual costs.
Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for medical decisions. Prices shown are estimates for self-pay patients and may vary by provider, location, and individual circumstances.