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Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA or DXA) is the gold standard for measuring body fat. This test measures body fat, muscle mass, whole body bone density, visceral fat, resting metabolic rate, and ALMI / RSMI (measures of muscularity) It is safe, simple, & painless. Your scan will take between 6 and 12 minutes – a small X-ray scanner called a densitometer takes a picture of the total body while you lie still on your back on the scan bed. The radiation from this test is minimal – about 1/20th of a chest x-ray. In simpler terms, it is less than a one-way flight from Toronto to Vancouver or less than a daily dose of natural background radiation. Our clinic uses the best DEXA / DXA machine available for body composition testing: The Lunar Prodigy Advance by GE.

On the day of your Scan: Consume your normal amount of fluid (don't overhydrate) Don’t consume a very fatty meal right before the meal - this can affect visceral fat assessment Do not exercise strenuously within 2 hours of your test; you can do so after the Scan, as some people can lose a lot of fluid during their exercise program. Please wear comfortable clothing with minimal metal (specifically aim to avoid denim and clothing with zippers, buttons, or wire bras). Any additional metal items such as your glasses, hair pins, and rings should be removed before the Scan. A T-shirt with shorts or jogging pants is ideal for the procedure. Any metal inside the body (metal plates, pins, screws, metal prosthetic joints) or piercing that can’t be removed will be consistent from one Scan to the next and added to the amount of body composition. We can still scan you if you have metal that can’t be removed. If you have had any of these tests this week, please reschedule for 6 weeks to allow no interference: Barium Enema, Contrast MRI, or CAT Scan & Nuclear Medicine Tests. Follow-Up Studies: Keep a similar routine 24 hrs before your baseline test, i.e., Eat, exercise, hydrate at the same time & try to come at similar times of the day as your last Scan Follow-Up Scan is recommended in 3-4 months to monitor your muscle mass and body fat loss & see if your plan works.

Our DXA scan takes between 6 to 12 minutes to complete. During this time, you will be asked to lie on a flat table while a scanner arm moves over your body to capture images. Your appointment booking time is 45 minutes. This includes the scan, analysis, immediate results and discussion of your data.

We cannot do the test if you are currently pregnant or could possibly be pregnant. If you had a dye (contrast media) injected from a CT or MRI procedure; any GI series; a barium study; or a radioisotope injection in the past week, please reschedule in 3 weeks as these substances may interfere with the test results.

You will have to contact your insurance provider regarding coverage. If you have a healthcare spending account, the cost may be reimbursed. Look for coverage that describes "nutritionist" or "nutrition counseling" or "health counseling".

Metal inside the body will be added as bone and will be consistent from scan to scan and comparative results will be valid.

It is best to have normal hydration levels for the scan. Water is not fat or bone mineral content and is thus added to lean tissue. If one is extremely dehydrated or fasting for long periods prior to the scan, then this can reduce the total lean tissue values. If one is extremely hydrated, then this can increase the lean tissue values.