The DEXA Scan is the most accurate method of measuring body composition. It provides a measurement of body fat percentage, fat mass, visceral fat, and lean body (muscle) mass. This allows us to go beyond weight or body mass index (BMI) as a marker of body composition. BMI can be a misleading measurement because it does not take into account how much fat mass vs. lean mass an individual has. Furthermore, even within fat mass, different types of adipose tissue have different effects on our metabolic health. In particular, visceral fat, the type of fat that is found in our abdominal cavity and surrounding our organs, is very unhealthy for us and is associated with inflammation, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease.

The DEXA Scan is a great test to have done when you are starting a weight loss medication, a new diet, or a new exercise program, especially if your goal is to monitor your body fat percentage, your muscle mass, or your visceral adipose tissue over time.

There are two type of DEXA scans: A whole body scan for body composition, and a bone density scan. The whole body scan provides measures of body composition, and the bone density scan provides measures of bone strength and assesses for osteopenia and osteoporosis.

We charge $99 for the whole body scan, and $99 for the bone mineral density scan. Both scans take about 20 minutes to perform, which includes about 10 minutes of scan time, and about 10 minutes of post-scan analysis. You may purchase both scans, or just one or the other. Dr. Olson will personally review your results with you.

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