How is a DEXA scan done?
A DEXA scan is a type of x-ray study. You will be asked to wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing without any buttons, zippers or other metal fasteners. You will lie comfortably on an examination table, and the small x-ray arm will pass over your hip and lower spine. The entire test takes about five minutes. There are other machines that can do similar studies of your forearm, heel or finger. These are generally screening tests for osteoporosis. Only a true central DEXA (looking at your hip and spine) can diagnose osteoporosis. The amount of x-rays you will get during a DEXA scan is minimal. It is about 1/12 the radiation you receive from the natural background during a round trip flight between Los Angeles and New York. How is the DEXA scan reported? Your healthcare provider receives a rather complicated report. It tells the bone mineral density in the lumbar spine and one hip. Several different measures are taken in each of these areas. These numbers are compared with an average po
(A) You lie on your back on a padded table and are asked to keep still while an x-ray detector (the ‘scanner’) moves over the area to be tested. An x-ray machine under the table fires x-rays towards the detector. The bones commonly scanned are the vertebra (back bones), hip and wrist. (These are the bones most commonly affected by osteoporosis.) The scan is painless and takes 10-15 minutes.
