Health.
Performance.
Longevity.

A DEXA/DXA scan (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) is the gold standard for measuring body fat, muscle mass, bone density, visceral fat, and resting metabolic rate. It's safe, simple, and painless, taking 6 to 12 minutes. The radiation is minimal, less than a one-way flight from Toronto to Vancouver. We use the advanced Lunar Prodigy by GE for precise results.

To prepare for your DEXA scan: Drink your usual amount of fluids (don't overhydrate). Avoid a fatty meal right before the scan as it can affect visceral fat assessment. Don't exercise strenuously within 2 hours of your test; you can exercise afterward. Wear comfortable clothing with minimal metal (avoid denim, zippers, buttons, or wire bras). Remove additional metal items like glasses, hairpins, and rings. A T-shirt with shorts or jogging pants is ideal. Metal inside the body (plates, pins, screws, prosthetic joints) or piercings that can't be removed will be consistent from scan to scan. If you've had a Barium Enema, Contrast MRI, CAT Scan, or Nuclear Medicine Tests this week, reschedule for 6 weeks later. For follow-up studies, maintain a similar routine 24 hours before your baseline test (eat, exercise, hydrate at the same time) and try to come at similar times of the day as your last scan. A follow-up scan is recommended in 3-4 months to monitor your progress.

Your DXA scan will take between 6 to 12 minutes. Including the scan, analysis, and discussion of your results, the entire appointment will last about 45 minutes.

Contact your insurance provider to check for coverage. If you have a healthcare spending account, the cost may be reimbursed. Look for coverage under terms like "nutritionist," "nutrition counseling," or "health counseling."

Metal implants will appear as bone in your DXA scan. This consistency across scans ensures that your comparative results remain valid.

It is best to have normal hydration levels for the scan. Water is not fat or bone mineral content and is thus added to lean tissue. If one is extremely dehydrated or fasting for long periods prior to the scan, then this can reduce the total lean tissue values. If one is extremely hydrated, then this can increase the lean tissue values.