How long a DEXA scan takes

At the centre, staff confirm your details, explain the procedure, and check for circumstances that could affect imaging. You lie on a scanning table while the arm of the DEXA scanner passes over areas such as the hip and lower spine. Staying still helps the images remain clear. The scan itself does not require an injection or a cut, and the equipment does not surround your whole body.

The radiographer or technologist may need extra time to position you comfortably or repeat an image if movement affects quality. A specialist then reviews the measurements and prepares the report, so the final interpretation may not be available as soon as the scan ends.

Allow time beyond the scanning portion for check-in and instructions. Wear comfortable clothing and follow the centre's advice about metal fasteners, supplements, recent contrast tests, or possible pregnancy. Bring previous DEXA reports if available, because a consistent comparison can help track change. Most people can leave after the appointment and resume normal activity, but follow any specific instructions from your team.

Tell the imaging team before the scan if you cannot lie flat, have severe pain, or need help transferring onto the table. Afterward, seek medical help for sudden severe pain, new weakness, numbness, or a suspected fracture; these symptoms are not expected effects of the scan and should not wait for the report.

Ask how long your appointment is expected to take, when the report will be ready, whether you may eat and drink normally, and whether any medicine or recent imaging changes the schedule. Ask who will explain the findings.