What is a total body composition (DEXA) scan?
A DEXA (dual energy x-ray absorption) scan is the gold standard in measuring body composition. It provides an easy, efficient and accurate calculation of three components: lean muscle, body fat and bone mass.
Indications
Total body composition scanning can be used for a number of different reasons:
Management of weight-related disease
- Improvement of obesity (and those undergoing bariatric surgery)
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Assessment of anorexic or underweight patients
- Support investigations of other conditions that can cause weight loss or changes in body composition (such as muscle wasting conditions, HIV, malabsorption and cancer).
Monitoring of exercise and dietary programs
Accurate understanding of body composition helps with the monitoring and tailoring of exercise, training, dietary and weight loss programs
Sarcopenia
Assists with the assessment and health care plans for the elderly due to progressive loss of skeletal mass and strength
Reports
Reports will include colour-coded images demonstrating body composition. It will also provide regional analysis and comparison of arms, legs and trunk to assist with tracking of change.
Cost
Total body composition scans can be performed as a once off or purchased in a package of 3.
Medicare does not provide a rebate for total body composition scans. If a bone mineral densitometry (BMD) scan is requested as well, then this scan will be performed at no extra cost to the patient.