DEXA: bone density and body composition

A DEXA scan is a low-dose scan that does two different jobs, and people come to it for each.

The first is bone density. DEXA is the standard test for osteoporosis, the thinning of bone that raises the risk of fractures as we age. It gives a score that compares your bone density to a healthy young adult and to others your age, and it is useful after the menopause, for anyone on long-term steroids, for people with a history of low-trauma fractures, and for men on or considering testosterone. A result can be the difference between acting early and finding out the hard way.

The second is body composition. The same scan can map how much of you is fat, lean muscle and bone, and where the fat sits, including the visceral fat around the organs that matters most for metabolic health. That is a precise baseline to track, more informative than weight or BMI alone, and it is popular with people changing their training, their diet, or starting weight-loss medication who want to see what is changing.

It is a low-radiation scan, lower than many everyday sources, and undemanding to have done. Like any test, the number is most useful read in context, which is why it comes with an explanation rather than just a printout.

Whether you want the bone picture, the body-composition picture, or both, we arrange the scan with our imaging partners and talk you through what it shows.

Ready to start? Choose the check that fits your question and tell us a little about yourself. A doctor reviews it, arranges what you need, and explains what it means. Most of it is done online, with the clinic there if you would rather be seen.