DEXA Scan in Greater Boston
A low-dose X-ray scan of your bones, muscle and fat, and 4 clinics in Greater Boston that list it.
- Time
- 10 to 30 minutes Lying still on a table
- What you do
- Lie still while it scans No injection, no tunnel
- You get
- Bone density scores Often with a body composition report
A DEXA scan uses a very low dose of X-rays to measure your bone density. You lie still on a padded table in everyday clothes, as long as nothing has metal in it, while a scanning arm passes slowly over you.
Bone density scanning is established care for osteoporosis screening at the ages guidelines set. The same scan can also split your weight into fat, lean tissue and bone, and many people use that part as a baseline to track as they train or change how they eat.
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DEXA Scan: common questions
Which clinics in Greater Boston list DEXA scans?
4 in our Greater Boston guide: Healthspan Longevity, Men's Health Boston, Goodhaven Health and Mass General Brigham Executive Health Program.
How do I prepare for a DEXA scan?
Skip calcium supplements for at least a day beforehand and wear clothes with no metal zips or buttons. Each clinic sends its own instructions.
What do the T-score and Z-score mean?
A T-score compares your bone density with a healthy young adult. A Z-score compares it with people of your own age and size. Your report usually shows both.
How much radiation is it?
Very little: less than a tenth of a standard chest X-ray, and less than a day of natural background radiation.
Sources: ACR and RSNA, RadiologyInfo: Bone Density Scan (DEXA); U.S. Preventive Services Task Force: Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures, Screening