Can you screen for osteoporosis?
Yes, our DEXA scan add-on is specifically designed to assess bone health.
DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry) measures your bone mineral density (BMD) at the spine and hip, the gold standard test for diagnosing osteoporosis and osteopenia (low bone density). Our DEXA scan measures bone density only; it does not include a body composition analysis. If you are interested in your muscle and fat distribution, our MRI-based body composition analysis is included in the Advanced and Pro packages and can be added to Core. It is more precise than a DEXA-based body composition.
The DEXA scan uses a very low dose of radiation (about 0.001 mSv, roughly 1/100th of a chest X-ray).
Our full-body MRI can detect advanced bone changes (fractures, lesions, severe degeneration), but it cannot measure bone density. MRI and DEXA are complementary: MRI shows structural bone problems, DEXA measures bone strength.
The DEXA scan is particularly valuable for women over 50 (post-menopausal bone loss), anyone with a family history of osteoporosis, and people on long-term corticosteroid therapy.
You can add the DEXA scan to any of our MRI packages (Core, Advanced or Pro) during booking. It cannot be booked on its own or together with a blood test only. See our conditions overview for more on what our screening may detect.
