Bone Densitometry (DEXA Scan)

Bone densitometry, or DEXA, measures bone mineral density (BMD) to assess osteoporosis and fracture risk. It uses dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry — two low-energy X-ray beams that distinguish bone from soft tissue — to calculate how much mineral is packed into the bone, typically at the lumbar spine and hip. EUC Klinika Brno performs DEXA on a GE Lunar Prodigy Primo scanner with a very low radiation dose. The exam takes about 15-20 minutes, needs no special preparation, and you simply lie still on a padded table while a scanning arm passes over you. A radiologist reviews the results and issues a written report with your T-score and Z-score, the values used to grade bone health against a healthy reference population.

Bone densitometry using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA, commonly DEXA) is the reference standard for measuring bone mineral density and assessing the risk of osteoporotic fracture. The scanner directs two X-ray beams of different energy levels through the body; because bone and soft tissue absorb the two energies differently, the system can subtract the soft-tissue contribution and calculate the mineral content of the bone alone. The result is expressed as a bone mineral density value and, more usefully, as a T-score (your density compared with a healthy young adult) and a Z-score (compared with people of your own age and sex) — the figures clinicians use to grade bone health and gauge fracture risk. EUC Klinika Brno carries out densitometry at the Zahradníkova 494/2 site on a GE Lunar Prodigy Primo, a whole-body dual-energy absorptiometer that delivers a very low dose of ionising radiation, far below that of a standard X-ray. The exam is quick and comfortable: you lie on a padded table, fully clothed in most cases, while a scanning arm passes over you and measures the lumbar spine and the proximal femur (hip), the two sites most predictive of future fracture. No special preparation is required, although you should avoid calcium supplements on the morning of the scan and let staff know about any recent contrast X-ray, CT or nuclear-medicine study, as residual contrast can affect the reading. The whole appointment usually takes fifteen to twenty minutes, and a radiologist issues a written report with your scores. DEXA is particularly valuable for postmenopausal women, people on long-term corticosteroid therapy, anyone with a previous low-trauma fracture, and those with a family history of osteoporosis or other risk factors; it is also used to monitor response to bone-protective treatment over time, with repeat scans usually spaced one to two years apart. The exam is not performed during pregnancy. A report copy can be added for 50 Kč and images on CD for 150 Kč, and the self-pay rate of 900 Kč applies to patients without a referral.