Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DEXA scan?
A DEXA body scan uses a very low dose of X-rays (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) to provide an accurate and precise measurement of your body composition. It is a medical-grade technology that was initially developed to measure bone density and is now universally regarded as the gold standard for measuring body composition (body fat, lean mass and bone). Read more detail here.
What is the procedure when having a DEXA scan?
The scan is quick and easy with no intervention and there is no claustrophobia. You lie on a padded mattress for just five minutes while the scanning arm makes three passes over your body. The scanning arm remains about 30cm from your body and the bed is completely open – there is no confined ‘doughnut’ or chamber that you go into as there is with a CT scanner or MRI scanner.
Does the DEXA scan give the same information advised by Peter Attia in ‘Outlive’?
Yes, absolutely. Dr Attia advises collection of Visceral Fat (VAT, visceral adipose tissue), Lean Mass Index (LMI), Appendicular Lean Mass Index (ALMI) and Bone Density (BMD, bone mineral density). Note that BMD is an indication, assessed as an average across the whole body. Check out DEXA and Bone Density video on this page.
What does a DEXA scan tell me?
A DEXA scan will reveal your body composition in great detail, showing fat and muscle mass and their distribution, as well as a good indication (a ‘scan lite’) of your bone density. You’ll get a printed and PDF report and we’ll go through it with you in great detail and tell you what it all means for you. You’ll also get some detailed explanatory notes you can refer to so you don’t have to remember everything!
How do I read my DEXA scan report?
You don’t have to worry about working out what all the numbers mean because we will do that for you. We’ll also plot your results against those of thousands of Bodyscan clients of your sex and age groups to give results context. Bodyscan has the biggest DEXA body composition database in the UK (and, we think, Europe), with more than 17,000 scans performed over eight years. Check out DEXA information video on the need for interpretation.
Does a DEXA scan measure bone density as well as body composition?
DEXA has two uses and modalities, to measure bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition (fat and lean mass). The latter will provide a good indication of your bone density but it is not a definitive, diagnosable result. If you are primarily concerned about your bone density then you should get a BMD scan either by asking your doctor or searching Google for ‘DEXA scan near me’. Watch our DEXA information video on bone density.
How accurate is a DEXA scan for body fat?
DEXA is the gold standard for measuring body fat but every measurement method is essentially a prediction of what we would find if we performed an autopsy. Every method will give you a different result because they all ultimately use a different algorithm into which are fed measured data points. While DEXA is considered very accurate, perhaps even more important than accuracy is consistency. Consistency means that even very small changes in body fat will be faithfully recorded. Conversely, it means that recorded changes are real. Because of the volatility and variance of other methods, actual changes may not be picked up and recorded movements in body fat may not have actually occurred. Watch our DEXA information video about consistency and accuracy.
Can I exercise before a DEXA scan?
As with food, we advise minimal exercise before your scan, again to set a standard set of conditions as well as ensure that muscles are not unduly pumped and that you are not breathing heavily when you are on the scanner bed. We want you to be as still as possible.
How much is a DEXA scan in the UK?
If you’re wondering ‘how much is a DEXA fat scan in the UK?’, Bodyscan offers very competitive UK pricing for DEXA body scans. The best value is from our prepaid packages. A VF4 package comprising one Baseline DEXA scan plus three Progress (follow-up) scans provides the best value at just £389 or just £39 per month. If you prefer to try-and-buy, the Baseline scan is £169.
Are DEXA scans safe?
Yes, they are very safe indeed. The risk from the radiation is defined as “negligible” by the government and is equivalent to eating 50g of Brazil nuts. Yes, really! Watch our DEXA information video on safety.
Where can I get a DEXA scan near me or a DEXA scan in London?
Bodyscan has two London clinics – in Marylebone (nearest tubes Baker Street and Regent’s Park) and the City (nearest tubes Bank and Monument). While we don’t have any locations outside London, it’s well worth the trip from wherever you are for the insight you get into your body composition.
How does DEXA compare to bio-impedance scales and skinfold calipers?
DEXA’s strength is its consistency in measuring body fat. DEXA is not subject to human error as is the case with skinfold calipers, nor does hydration affect the result, as it does with bio-impedance scales. Most people who use calipers are not qualified to use them and pinching just a centimetre away from the required spot will throw the result way off. Bio-impedance devices work by measuring resistance to a small electrical current, when is then extrapolated to estimate body water and then again to estimate fat. DEXA is much more reliable than those measurement methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DEXA scan?
A DEXA body scan uses a very low dose of X-rays (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) to provide an accurate and precise measurement of your body composition. It is a medical-grade technology that was initially developed to measure bone density and is now universally regarded as the gold standard for measuring body composition (body fat, lean mass and bone). Read more detail here.
What is the procedure when having a DEXA scan?
The scan is quick and easy with no intervention and there is no claustrophobia. You lie on a padded mattress for just five minutes while the scanning arm makes three passes over your body. The scanning arm remains about 30cm from your body and the bed is completely open – there is no confined ‘doughnut’ or chamber that you go into as there is with a CT scanner or MRI scanner.
Does the DEXA scan give the same information advised by Peter Attia in ‘Outlive’?
Yes, absolutely. Dr Attia advises collection of Visceral Fat (VAT, visceral adipose tissue), Lean Mass Index (LMI), Appendicular Lean Mass Index (ALMI) and Bone Density (BMD, bone mineral density). Note that BMD is an indication, assessed as an average across the whole body. Check out DEXA and Bone Density video on this page.
What does a DEXA scan tell me?
A DEXA scan will reveal your body composition in great detail, showing fat and muscle mass and their distribution, as well as a good indication (a ‘scan lite’) of your bone density. You’ll get a printed and PDF report and we’ll go through it with you in great detail and tell you what it all means for you. You’ll also get some detailed explanatory notes you can refer to so you don’t have to remember everything!
How do I read my DEXA scan report?
You don’t have to worry about working out what all the numbers mean because we will do that for you. We’ll also plot your results against those of thousands of Bodyscan clients of your sex and age groups to give results context. Bodyscan has the biggest DEXA body composition database in the UK (and, we think, Europe), with more than 17,000 scans performed over eight years. Check out DEXA information video on the need for interpretation.
Does a DEXA scan measure bone density as well as body composition?
DEXA has two uses and modalities, to measure bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition (fat and lean mass). The latter will provide a good indication of your bone density but it is not a definitive, diagnosable result. If you are primarily concerned about your bone density then you should get a BMD scan either by asking your doctor or searching Google for ‘DEXA scan near me’. Watch our DEXA information video on bone density.
How accurate is a DEXA scan for body fat?
DEXA is the gold standard for measuring body fat but every measurement method is essentially a prediction of what we would find if we performed an autopsy. Every method will give you a different result because they all ultimately use a different algorithm into which are fed measured data points. While DEXA is considered very accurate, perhaps even more important than accuracy is consistency. Consistency means that even very small changes in body fat will be faithfully recorded. Conversely, it means that recorded changes are real. Because of the volatility and variance of other methods, actual changes may not be picked up and recorded movements in body fat may not have actually occurred. Watch our DEXA information video about consistency and accuracy.
Can I exercise before a DEXA scan?
As with food, we advise minimal exercise before your scan, again to set a standard set of conditions as well as ensure that muscles are not unduly pumped and that you are not breathing heavily when you are on the scanner bed. We want you to be as still as possible.
How much is a DEXA scan in the UK?
If you’re wondering ‘how much is a DEXA fat scan in the UK?’, Bodyscan offers very competitive UK pricing for DEXA body scans. The best value is from our prepaid packages. A VF4 package comprising one Baseline DEXA scan plus three Progress (follow-up) scans provides the best value at just £389 or just £39 per month. If you prefer to try-and-buy, the Baseline scan is £169.
Are DEXA scans safe?
Yes, they are very safe indeed. The risk from the radiation is defined as “negligible” by the government and is equivalent to eating 50g of Brazil nuts. Yes, really! Watch our DEXA information video on safety.
Where can I get a DEXA scan near me or a DEXA scan in London?
Bodyscan has two London clinics – in Marylebone (nearest tubes Baker Street and Regent’s Park) and the City (nearest tubes Bank and Monument). While we don’t have any locations outside London, it’s well worth the trip from wherever you are for the insight you get into your body composition.
How does DEXA compare to bio-impedance scales and skinfold calipers?
DEXA’s strength is its consistency in measuring body fat. DEXA is not subject to human error as is the case with skinfold calipers, nor does hydration affect the result, as it does with bio-impedance scales. Most people who use calipers are not qualified to use them and pinching just a centimetre away from the required spot will throw the result way off. Bio-impedance devices work by measuring resistance to a small electrical current, when is then extrapolated to estimate body water and then again to estimate fat. DEXA is much more reliable than those measurement methods.