Why would I need a Dexa Body Scan?

Dexa body scanning is a great new medical tool. It’s a widely recognised and scientific way to assess and map the distribution of your body fat and muscle. You’ll hear doctors talk about a Dexa body scan as a tool to get really accurate information, often in the context of obesity or diet related diagnoses.

At Advance Surgical we offer the Dexa body scan as a service, even if you are not booked in for a surgery. Learning more about your body fat is a great first step towards making well informed decisions about your diet and lifestyle.

When you have a scan, we use a very low level X-Ray to scan your body. Because it only uses a very small amount of radiation, it’s a safe procedure. You will only be exposed to the equivalent of 2-4 days of exposure to background radiation levels (our normal everyday life level of exposure, that is).

The Dexa body scan measures fat and muscle quantities for your entire body, and for specific regions. Once you get that information, clarified by our dietitians, you will be able to better understand your body profile.

You will know your total fat mass, the quantity of central (bad) fat and the amount of muscle you have. We can also look at your metabolic rate and bone density at the same time. It can be relevant when considering diet or lifestyle changes, or in the process of preparing your weight loss surgery.

Because we are collecting data and storing them in your medical record, we ask that you arrive on time (15 minutes before your booked appointment) to go through some basic medical questions with us.

To perform the scan, you will be asked to remove your clothing and you will be wearing a gown. Any metal objects, such as belts, zippers, bra wires or other metal in clothing, could interfere with the X-Rays.

At Advance Surgical, you are in good hands to discuss body weight and body fat distribution. Our dietitians work with our obesity surgeons to help patients make well informed decisions about weight loss surgery, lifestyle changes and diet. Whether you are just curious about your body fat, muscle mass and bone mass,  or want to explore if weight loss surgery is relevant for you, please come and speak to our team of friendly and highly qualified professionals at Advance Surgical.