Neuroradiologist Salary in 2026: MRI Brain, Spine Imaging, and Neurointerventional Pay

Neuroradiologists are diagnostic radiologists who have completed a one-year ACGME-accredited neuroradiology fellowship and specialize in the interpretation of brain, spine, head and neck, and peripheral nervous system imaging — including brain MRI, spine MRI and CT, CT angiography of the brain and neck, MR angiography, MR spectroscopy, functional MRI, and advanced brain imaging techniques. A subset of neuroradiologists who complete additional training in neurointerventional procedures (diagnostic cerebral angiography, endovascular stroke treatment, cerebral aneurysm coiling, AVM embolization, spine intervention) practice as neurointerventionalists and represent one of the highest-compensated physician subspecialties in the United States. Neuroradiology is one of the most in-demand radiology subspecialties, driven by MRI scanner proliferation, the stroke treatment revolution (mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion stroke), and the growing use of advanced neuroimaging in dementia, epilepsy, and brain tumor management.

Training and Certification

The pathway is one year of internship (preliminary or transitional), four years of ACGME-accredited diagnostic radiology residency, followed by a one-year neuroradiology fellowship. The American Board of Radiology (ABR) administers the Neuroradiology subspecialty certificate. Neurointerventional/interventional neuroradiology (INR) requires an additional one-to-two-year fellowship in neurointerventional procedures after neuroradiology fellowship training; the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery (SNIS) and the Joint Commission on Neuroradiology have defined training standards for INR. Some neurointerventionalists enter through neurology or neurosurgery pathways rather than diagnostic radiology — the endovascular neurosurgeon and endovascular neurologist training pathways produce physicians with the same neurointerventional skill set through different specialty portals. Teleradiology has created a significant demand segment for neuroradiologists who read remotely — offsite night hawk/teleradiology neuroradiology reading requires no institutional affiliation and allows schedule flexibility that attracts a specific cohort of radiologists who value income above academic affiliation.

Key CPT Codes and Imaging Volume

• Brain MRI without/with contrast (70553, 70552): MRI brain with and without gadolinium ($350–$550 physician component); bread-and-butter neuroradiology — high volume, moderate complexity for most studies; complex brain lesion evaluation (differential diagnosis of enhancing brain lesions, epilepsy protocol MRI, functional MRI pre-surgical mapping) generates higher relative value
• Spine MRI (72148–72158): MRI cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine ($200–$380 physician component each); spine MRI is the highest-volume imaging study in outpatient neuroradiology; lumbar spine MRI for low back pain is one of the most commonly performed radiology studies nationally
• CT angiography head and neck (70496, 70498): CTA of the circle of Willis and cervical vessels for stroke evaluation, aneurysm screening, and arterial dissection; $250–$450 physician component; stroke protocol CTA generates significant overnight/emergency volume at stroke centers
• Diagnostic cerebral angiography (36221–36228): Catheter-based digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of the cerebral vessels; $600–$1,200 physician component depending on number of vessels catheterized; foundation for interventional neuroradiology procedures
• Mechanical thrombectomy for stroke (61645): Endovascular mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke; $2,000–$4,000 physician component at commercial rates; time-sensitive emergency procedure with on-call requirements at comprehensive stroke centers (CSC) and thrombectomy-capable stroke centers (TSC); one of the highest-reimbursed emergency procedures in medicine per unit time
• Cerebral aneurysm coiling (61624, 61626): Endovascular coil embolization of intracranial aneurysm; $2,500–$5,000 physician component for complex cases; pipeline embolization device (PED) placement for large/giant aneurysms; flow diverter procedures are among the most technically demanding and highest-compensated neurointerventional cases
• Spine intervention (62321, 64490–64494): Epidural steroid injections, nerve root blocks, and medial branch blocks for spine pain management; many neuroradiologists at community hospitals perform spine pain procedures in addition to diagnostic reading

Salary Ranges by Practice Setting

• Academic neuroradiology (diagnostic focus): $380,000–$520,000; academic neuroradiologists at university radiology departments combine subspecialty reading with research (neuroimaging biomarker development, AI/machine learning in neuroradiology), teaching, and fellowship program oversight; AAMC benchmark salaries for neuroradiology are above general radiology; PSLF-eligible; academic positions typically have lower RVU targets but broader intellectual scope
• Private radiology group (diagnostic neuroradiology): $500,000–$700,000; private radiology groups that have neuroradiology subspecialty coverage (essential for Level II+ stroke centers) pay premium compensation for neuroradiologists who can read MRI brain/spine and cover stroke protocol CTA overnight; group partners in successful private practices generate higher total compensation through productivity and ownership distributions
• Neurointerventional (INR) practice — academic: $550,000–$750,000; academic neurointerventionalists who perform mechanical thrombectomy, aneurysm coiling, and other neurointerventional procedures are among the highest-compensated physicians in academic medicine; call requirements for stroke coverage at comprehensive stroke centers generate significant call compensation supplements; on-call thrombectomy procedures generate $2,000–$4,000 per case in physician professional fees
• Neurointerventional (INR) practice — private or community-based: $650,000–$950,000+; community neurointerventionalists in high-volume stroke markets with favorable commercial payor mix generate among the highest physician incomes in medicine; neurointerventional procedures (thrombectomy, coiling, vertebroplasty) have high commercial rates and strong procedure volume at comprehensive stroke centers; some community INR practices structure compensation on per-case or production-based models that reward high volume
• Teleradiology (remote neuroradiology reading): $400,000–$650,000; teleradiology platforms (Radnet, vRad, Teleradiology Solutions, StatRad) employ neuroradiologists for remote brain/spine MRI interpretation; night hawk/overnight reading commands premium per-study rates ($25–$60 per brain MRI read); neuroradiologists who read exclusively via teleradiology can achieve schedule flexibility with competitive income, though without the clinical interaction and neurointerventional component of in-person practice

Stroke Center Designation and Income Implications

The proliferation of stroke center designations (Primary Stroke Center, Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center, Comprehensive Stroke Center) has created structural demand for neuroradiologists and neurointerventionalists at hospitals pursuing or maintaining these designations. The Joint Commission's Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC) designation requires 24/7 capability for mechanical thrombectomy — which in turn requires a neurointerventionalist on-call around the clock. Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSC) have additional requirements including neurointerventional coverage and advanced neuroimaging capabilities. The competitive advantage of stroke center designation for hospital marketing and downstream neurology admissions revenue creates strong institutional motivation to retain neurointerventionalists, giving these physicians exceptional job security and leverage in compensation negotiations. Hospitals losing their neurointerventionalist routinely offer retention packages of $100,000–$200,000 to prevent departures that would jeopardize stroke center status.

What we see at Ava Health

Neuroradiology is one of the highest-urgency recruiting segments in radiology. A hospital losing its neuroradiologist — particularly one with neurointerventional capability — faces immediate impact on stroke program designation, overnight MRI coverage quality, and downstream neurosurgery case volume. The most acute shortage is for neurointerventionalists willing to join community or regional hospital programs with high call frequency; these positions offer the highest compensation but require lifestyle flexibility. We see strong demand for teleradiology neuroradiologists who are willing to cover overnight and weekend reading remotely, which allows hospitals to supplement their on-site diagnostic coverage without the full-time employment overhead. Candidates with both ABR Neuroradiology certification and active SNIS membership (indicating neurointerventional training) have the shortest time-on-market of any radiology subspecialist we recruit, with competitive offers typically arriving within 2–4 weeks of initial contact.

Related: Radiologist Salary Guide, Interventional Radiologist Salary Guide, Neurologist Salary Guide, Neurosurgeon Salary Guide.