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How much do pet X-rays, ultrasounds, CT and MRI scans cost?
All four figures below for dogs come from one consistent source — CareCredit/Synchrony's 2025 procedural cost study (articles June 2026): an X-ray averages $213, an ultrasound runs $383–$880, a CT $1,280–$2,941, and an MRI averages $2,285. Cat owners should read the gap note at the foot of this page before using any of these numbers.
| Imaging — published figures (dogs, CareCredit 2025 study) | Figure |
|---|---|
| X-ray | average $213 · range $169–$388 |
| Ultrasound | $383–$880 |
| CT scan | $1,280–$2,941 |
| MRI | average $2,285 · range $1,811–$4,140 |
| Sedation for imaging, if needed | $31–$444 by dog size and sedation type |
By type and by state
Pawlicy splits the ultrasound by type: general $300–$600, abdominal $250–$500, cardiac (echocardiogram) $400–$800, Doppler $300–$600 — with a biopsy adding $100–$300. Geography moves imaging as much as any line on this site: CareCredit publishes state averages for dog X-rays from $171 (Mississippi, West Virginia) to $383 (Hawaii), and for dog MRI from $1,828 (Mississippi) to $4,072 (Hawaii). What drives the price, per the sources: region, clinic type (a 24-hour emergency hospital costs more than a regular practice), number of views, body area, specialist interpretation, and — for CT and MRI — anesthesia, which advanced imaging requires.
The cat gap: every imaging figure we could read in an acceptable published source is stated for dogs. No cat-specific X-ray, ultrasound, CT, or MRI range was found, so this site publishes none. Cat imaging is priced by the same clinics on the same equipment, but printing the dog range as a cat range would be inventing a figure — we don't.
The scan usually decides the surgery. See what the surgeries themselves cost — starting with the most common major one.
Read the TPLO cost guideSources: CareCredit / Synchrony — How Much Does a Dog X-Ray Cost? (June 2026) · CareCredit / Synchrony — How Much Does a Dog MRI Cost? (June 2026) · Pawlicy Advisor — How Much Does a Dog Ultrasound Cost?. Researched October 2026 — prices change; confirm with your clinic.