DEXA Bone Density Scan

A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan measuring bone mineral density at the spine and hip — the two sites most vulnerable to osteoporotic fracture. The scan uses a minimal radiation dose and takes ten to twenty minutes, providing a T-score that classifies bone density as normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic.

Osteoporosis affects an estimated three million people in the UK, and the majority are undiagnosed until a fragility fracture occurs. DEXA scanning is the clinical standard for measuring bone mineral density and is the only method that directly quantifies bone mass at the sites most prone to fracture — the lumbar spine and proximal femur. The scan produces a T-score that compares your bone density to a healthy young adult reference population. A T-score above -1.0 is considered normal, between -1.0 and -2.5 indicates osteopenia (reduced bone density), and below -2.5 meets the diagnostic threshold for osteoporosis. This objective measurement enables evidence-based decisions about calcium and vitamin D supplementation, weight-bearing exercise programmes, and pharmaceutical intervention where appropriate. DEXA is particularly important for postmenopausal women (oestrogen decline accelerates bone loss), men over fifty, individuals with a family history of osteoporosis, those who have taken long-term corticosteroids, and anyone with risk factors including low body weight, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, or conditions affecting calcium absorption. The scan delivers an extremely low radiation dose — significantly less than a standard chest X-ray — and requires no preparation. Available at the Enfield centre.