How Much Does a Pelvic Ultrasound Cost?

Updated on September 15, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 15 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

A practical ThePricer planning range for a non-obstetric pelvic ultrasound without insurance is about $200 to $600 for many current cash-pay cases, not a national average. A 2026 hospital cash-price analysis found a median of $585.75 for complete pelvic ultrasound across 41 hospitals, with published hospital cash prices extending above $1,000.

This page focuses on non-obstetric pelvic imaging. The exact bill depends on whether the order calls for a complete transabdominal study, a transvaginal study, or both. Insurance status, facility type, professional interpretation, and whether the quote bundles every ordered component can change what the patient actually pays.

Article Highlights

• A practical self-pay planning range is about $200 to $600 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 0.8 to 2.5 full-time workdays, before taxes) for many current non-obstetric pelvic ultrasound examples.
• The 2026 hospital median reviewed for complete pelvic ultrasound is $585.75.
• Hospital self-pay prices can exceed $1,000 depending on facility and market.
• A combined pelvic-plus-transvaginal order can cost more than one limited scan.
• Insurance coverage depends on the payer, deductible, network, and site of service.
• Self-pay patients can request a written Good Faith Estimate before scheduled care.

How Much Does a Pelvic Ultrasound Cost?

The price question starts with the exact exam, not the word ultrasound alone. A complete pelvic ultrasound and a transvaginal ultrasound use different billing codes and can be ordered separately or together. Current hospital transvaginal pricing data put the median cash price at about $514 (about 2.1 full-time workdays at $30 per hour), with the middle 80 percent of posted prices spanning roughly $175 to $1,247. That wide spread is one reason a single national “average” can mislead a self-pay patient.

For budgeting, the lower end usually appears in discounted outpatient or clinic pricing, while hospital cash schedules can move well into four figures. A complete pelvic study may also cost less than a combined appointment containing both complete transabdominal and transvaginal imaging. Those services answer related clinical questions but are not one interchangeable line item.

Ask the scheduler to read back the ordered procedure names and codes before comparing prices. A quote for CPT 76856, complete pelvic ultrasound, does not automatically include CPT 76830, transvaginal ultrasound. A limited pelvic code can be cheaper again. Matching the code, setting, and included professional reading prevents a low-looking quote from turning into a larger bill after the study is performed.

Current Pelvic Ultrasound Prices

There is no single national cash fee because the service label can hide different imaging scopes. A limited pelvic study, a complete transabdominal pelvic study, a transvaginal study, and a package containing both pelvic and transvaginal imaging are different products. The current reproductive-health price list from Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky posts $112 (about 3.7 hours of work at $30 per hour) for CPT 76857 non-OB pelvic ultrasound and $288 for CPT 76830 non-OB transvaginal ultrasound.

Current pricing example	Published price	What the price covers
Planned Parenthood regional schedule	$112 pelvic, $288 transvaginal	Separate non-obstetric ultrasound codes on one current health-services price list
MDsave combined imaging	$408 to $903	Transvaginal ultrasound plus a complete pelvic ultrasound near Bethesda, Maryland
2026 hospital transparency sample	Median $585.75	Complete pelvic ultrasound across 41 hospitals, repeating the cited headline dataset

The table should not be read as a national average. The service scope differs among the rows. The useful question is what exact imaging code or combination appears on the order and whether the posted amount includes both the technical imaging charge and professional interpretation. A patient comparing cash offers should also ask whether the price expires, requires advance payment, or depends on using a particular location.

What the Order Includes

The pelvic ultrasound procedure guide from RadiologyInfo explains that ultrasound uses sound waves without ionizing radiation and describes transabdominal, transvaginal, and transrectal routes, with Doppler imaging sometimes included to evaluate blood flow.

This article centers on the non-obstetric transabdominal and transvaginal exams most often encountered in gynecologic cost searches. Pregnancy imaging belongs to a separate billing pathway, and elective 3D and 4D ultrasound costs should not be mixed with a diagnostic pelvic study ordered for pain, abnormal bleeding, a suspected cyst, fibroids, infertility workup, or another medical concern.

The order matters. Some patients receive one route only, while others receive both routes during the same visit. A quote for one code is not automatically a quote for the complete visit when two separate ultrasound services are ordered. This billing distinction is why the scheduler should identify every ordered code before a self-pay patient compares prices.

Facility Choice

Facility type can change a cash price by hundreds of dollars even inside one metro area. A Los Angeles provider comparison currently reports a $253 median across 149 providers. Many listed imaging centers fall around $200 to $430, while numerous hospital listings start near $525 and extend beyond $1,500. The same page also contains lower and higher exceptions, so facility category does not guarantee a particular bill.

Transvaginal pricing shows the same spread. Current Chicago hospital cash data show published self-pay prices from $250 to $1,225 among 15 hospitals with usable rates for CPT 76830. That is a 4.9-fold spread for the same billing code before any separately billed physician component.

The lower sticker price can still be the wrong comparison if one provider bundles interpretation and another does not. Ask whether the quote includes the technical component, radiologist reading, both ordered ultrasound routes, and any facility charge. Comparing those items on equal scope is more useful than assuming that every hospital is expensive or every free-standing imaging center is cheap. A written quote also makes it easier to compare the same service across several nearby facilities.

What Insurance Pays

Pelvic ultrasound is diagnostic imaging, so insured patients should not expect the automatic $0 preventive-care treatment that applies to some screening services. Under Original Medicare diagnostic coverage, Part B covers medically necessary non-laboratory diagnostic tests when ordered to evaluate or treat a medical problem. After the Part B deductible, the patient pays 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount in a doctor’s office or independent diagnostic testing facility. Hospital outpatient testing can add a separate hospital copayment.

Medicaid rules are less uniform. Federal guidance says states can impose Medicaid outpatient cost sharing on many covered services, with limits and exemptions tied to income, eligibility group, pregnancy, age, and service type. A blanket promise of a $0 pelvic ultrasound for every Medicaid enrollee is inaccurate.

Private insurance can apply a deductible, copay, coinsurance, or a combination depending on the plan and site of service. HealthCare.gov explains how a health plan deductible works before the plan begins paying its share for many covered services. Ask the insurer for the allowed amount and estimated patient responsibility, then ask whether a direct cash payment would count toward the deductible before bypassing insurance.

The Hidden Cost of Two Exams

The most important hidden-price issue is a combined order. A patient may hear “pelvic ultrasound” and assume the appointment carries one imaging fee, yet the clinician can order both transabdominal pelvic imaging and transvaginal imaging. Those services may appear as separate line items or as one bundled package depending on the provider.

A simple self-pay scenario uses the already cited Planned Parenthood schedule. If a patient were billed the listed $112 non-OB pelvic ultrasound and the listed $288 non-OB transvaginal ultrasound as separate services, the imaging total would be $400. The transvaginal component would account for 72 percent of that illustrated total. This is a conditional ThePricer calculation, not a claim that every patient receives both exams or that the clinic always bills them together.

A bundled market example reaches a different number. The MDsave package shown in the table includes a transvaginal ultrasound plus complete pelvic ultrasound and runs from $408 to $903 in the cited Maryland area. Its scope explains why comparing that package with a single $112 limited pelvic code would be misleading.

Downstream testing can create another bill. An abnormal finding may lead to laboratory work, a biopsy, or another imaging study such as a pelvic MRI. Those are separate services and should not be built into the normal ultrasound price unless they are actually ordered.

Self-Pay Rights and Assistance

Uninsured patients and people choosing not to use insurance have a useful federal billing protection. CMS says a provider usually must give a written Good Faith Estimate when scheduled care is arranged at least three business days in advance or when the patient asks for one. The estimate should identify expected charges before the service. Keep a copy for comparison.

Use that estimate to check whether the quote covers every ordered ultrasound code and professional service. A verbal statement such as “the ultrasound is about $250” is less useful than a written estimate showing complete pelvic imaging, transvaginal imaging, facility charges, and interpretation. If the final bill from one provider or facility is at least $400 above that provider’s estimate, CMS provides a patient-provider dispute process for qualifying self-pay cases.

Some hospitals and imaging centers also publish self-pay discounts or financial-assistance policies. Ask the billing office for the cash rate, prompt-pay policy, and any income-based assistance before treating a gross charge as the expected bill. An OB/GYN visit may also be a separate expense if the ultrasound order comes from a new consultation.

Preparation and Price Checks

Preparation depends on the route used. Cleveland Clinic says a patient may be asked to drink water before an abdominal pelvic ultrasound because a full bladder can improve the view, while a transvaginal exam does not use the same full-bladder preparation. The imaging facility’s instructions take priority because the appointment may contain one route or both.

Do not invent dietary restrictions when the facility has not given them. Routine non-obstetric pelvic ultrasound does not carry one universal rule about fasting, bowel preparation, or avoiding certain foods. Ask what to do with food, fluids, medications, and bladder filling when the appointment is scheduled.

Makes sense if

• The quote names the exact ultrasound code or combination ordered.
• The price states whether professional interpretation is included.
• You compare the insurance allowed amount with a cash option before choosing self-pay.
• You request a written estimate when paying without insurance.

Does not make sense if

• You compare a limited pelvic scan with a complete pelvic-plus-transvaginal package.
• You assume every radiologist fee is separate without checking the package.
• You rely on a hospital gross charge when a discounted cash rate is available.
• You follow generic bladder instructions that conflict with the imaging center’s directions.

Answers to Common Questions

How much is a pelvic ultrasound without insurance?

A practical current planning range is about $200 to $600 for many self-pay non-obstetric cases. Hospital cash prices can exceed $1,000, and a combined pelvic-plus-transvaginal order can cost more than one scan.

How much does a transvaginal ultrasound cost?

Current examples range from $288 on one reproductive-health price list to several hundred dollars at hospital and marketplace providers. The exact amount depends on whether it is billed alone or with a complete pelvic study.

Do you need a full bladder for a pelvic ultrasound?

A full bladder may be requested for a transabdominal exam. The bladder is normally emptied before a transvaginal exam. Follow the instructions from the facility performing the test.

Does Medicare pay for pelvic ultrasound?

Original Medicare Part B can cover medically necessary diagnostic imaging ordered for a medical problem. After the Part B deductible, a 20 percent coinsurance commonly applies in an office or independent testing facility, with different hospital outpatient cost sharing possible.

Can pelvic and transvaginal ultrasounds be billed separately?

Yes. They are different services and can appear as separate codes, although some providers sell a bundled package containing both. Confirm the ordered codes and package scope before comparing prices.