DEXA
A DEXA scan (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) is a quick, painless test that measures bone strength to determine whether your bones are healthy, thinning or at increased risk of fracture. It can help identify osteoporosis, assess fracture risk and monitor the effectiveness of bone-strengthening treatments. During the scan, you will lie comfortably on a padded table while a small scanning arm passes over your body, usually focusing on the lower spine and hips. The scan is not painful, uses a very small amount of X-ray radiation—much less than a standard chest X-ray—and typically takes 10–20 minutes. Preparation is simple: you can eat and drink normally, should avoid calcium supplements for 24 hours beforehand, and should wear comfortable clothing without metal, such as zippers or buttons, where possible. Your results will include a T-score comparing your bone strength with that of a healthy young adult. A normal score indicates strong bones, osteopenia indicates mild bone loss, and osteoporosis indicates significant bone loss with a higher fracture risk. Your doctor will explain the results and recommend any treatment or lifestyle changes that may be required.
Body Composition
A Body Composition DEXA scan is a quick, painless test that provides a detailed picture of what your body is made of by measuring body fat, lean muscle and bone mass, offering more insight into overall health than weight alone. It can help track fat loss and muscle gain, monitor progress during weight-loss or fitness programs, assess muscle balance between the right and left sides of the body, and evaluate health risks associated with high body fat. During the test, you will lie comfortably on a padded table while a small scanning arm moves over your body. The scan is completely painless, uses a very low amount of X-ray radiation and usually takes 10–20 minutes. Preparation is straightforward: wear comfortable clothing without metal, including zippers, snaps or underwire bras, avoid heavy exercise or large meals immediately before the test, and otherwise eat and drink normally. Your results will report total body-fat percentage, lean muscle mass overall and within each arm, leg and the trunk, bone mineral content, and visceral fat around the organs. This information can help personalise nutrition, exercise and weight-management plans.
