Full Body DEXA scan

[TheHeadhunter]

I'd been fancying one of these for a while. Body Composition and Full Bone Density Scan.

Really insightful and gives a really good analysis of the whole body including more accurate Metabolic analysis (when coupled with the VO2 Max test the same place did a couple of months ago). Output was a c10 page report.

These things used to be really expensive, but they are coming down to £100-200. Definitely recommended.

[gangzoom]

I love data, would love to do one along with a proper VO2 measured using a rebreath mask. However what do you do with the data?

I will still love to eat cake and drink beer afterwards, I still wouldn't have enough time or motivation to do regimented HIT classes. I will love the data though.

[croyde]

Isn't the problem with these scans is that if something untoward is found, then you will be having to pay private fees to get it sorted.

Can't see the receptionists at my local GP's surgery letting me have an immediate appointment just because I have some paperwork with bad results in my hand.

[Bill]

croyde said:

Can't see the receptionists at my local GP's surgery letting me have an immediate appointment just because I have some paperwork with bad results in my hand.

Why would they?? (Assuming you're not riddled with cancer....)

[Bill]

TheHeadhunter said:

I'd been fancying one of these for a while. Body Composition and Full Bone Density Scan.

Really insightful and gives a really good analysis of the whole body including more accurate Metabolic analysis (when coupled with the VO2 Max test the same place did a couple of months ago). Output was a c10 page report.

These things used to be really expensive, but they are coming down to £100-200. Definitely recommended.

What have you changed after this?

[Mirinjawbro]

Apparently they are a dexa scam. A few youtube videos will show you why

[TheHeadhunter]

gangzoom said:

I love data, would love to do one along with a proper VO2 measured using a rebreath mask. However what do you do with the data?

I will still love to eat cake and drink beer afterwards, I still wouldn't have enough time or motivation to do regimented HIT classes. I will love the data though.

That's what the same business did for me on a VO2 Max test. Part of it is a snapshot of your health, but it also gives on your physiological make-up, carb-vs-fat burn, nutritional requirements/guidance; a whole raft of things.

Cardio-vascular health, visceral fat level, general fat levels, bone density, lean muscle mass. All really important metrics, especially as you get older.

[TheHeadhunter]

croyde said:

Isn't the problem with these scans is that if something untoward is found, then you will be having to pay private fees to get it sorted.

Can't see the receptionists at my local GP's surgery letting me have an immediate appointment just because I have some paperwork with bad results in my hand.

It won't really highlight anything 'untoward' in a medical sense, more lifestyle changes you can make yourself.

That said, it would highlight bone density issues (osteoporosis etc), or high visceral fat levels.

[TheHeadhunter]

Bill said:

TheHeadhunter said:

I'd been fancying one of these for a while. Body Composition and Full Bone Density Scan.

Really insightful and gives a really good analysis of the whole body including more accurate Metabolic analysis (when coupled with the VO2 Max test the same place did a couple of months ago). Output was a c10 page report.

These things used to be really expensive, but they are coming down to £100-200. Definitely recommended.

What have you changed after this?

It's been 4 days, but I have already increased my protein intake and increased by overall calorie intake. I've also got the warm glow of knowing the metrics suggest I'm healthy.

[TheHeadhunter]

Mirinjawbro said:

Apparently they are a dexa scam. A few youtube videos will show you why

YouTube. Must be true then

Meanwhile, hospitals, NHS & private, still consider them to be the gold standard for bone density assessment and directly mapping bone, fat, and lean tissue.

[Armitage.Shanks]

croyde said:

Can't see the receptionists at my local GP's surgery letting me have an immediate appointment just because I have some paperwork with bad results in my hand.

Easy to feed into the NHS system if you're not going private. Some places will send the results direct to your GP surgery for upload to your NHS record if you ask. I pay for a PSA test with a charity once a year and each time the results go to my GP and appear on my NHS record.

I had a DEXA scan following a 'fall from height' cutting some branches from a tree in my back garden and subsequently finding out seven weeks later after I thought I should get that niggling pain in my back sorted out, I had fractured my T-12.

As well as the usual X-Ray, MRI the GP ordered a DEXA scan and the NHS appointment came through for a Sunday evening, which I thought was odd, at a local hospital. Very impressive machines. My bone density is fine but being in my early 60s I presume it was to rule out Osteoporosis etc.. Regardless, at my age I was advised to take a daily dose of Vitamin D along with maintaining calcium in my diet.

[Yahonza]

TheHeadhunter said:

Mirinjawbro said:

Apparently they are a dexa scam. A few youtube videos will show you why

YouTube. Must be true then

Meanwhile, hospitals, NHS & private, still consider them to be the gold standard for bone density assessment and directly mapping bone, fat, and lean tissue.

When there is a clinical reason for doing a DEXA scan though. Unnecessary exposure to radiation otherwise. Up to you obviously but what will it tell you beyond what you already know - plus you might want to do another one as a follow-up.

[TheHeadhunter]

Yahonza said:

TheHeadhunter said:

Mirinjawbro said:

Apparently they are a dexa scam. A few youtube videos will show you why

YouTube. Must be true then

Meanwhile, hospitals, NHS & private, still consider them to be the gold standard for bone density assessment and directly mapping bone, fat, and lean tissue.

When there is a clinical reason for doing a DEXA scan though. Unnecessary exposure to radiation otherwise. Up to you obviously but what will it tell you beyond what you already know - plus you might want to do another one as a follow-up.

Define clinical need? Acute care only, or is prevention under that definition (it certainly is for me).

As for 'unnecessary radiation', A DEXA scan exposes you to about 1 to 3 microsieverts (µSv)

For context:
One day of natural background radiation is about 8 to 10 µSv
A 30-60min airplane fligh is about 30 to 40 µSv
A standard X-ray: About 100 µSv

It's insignificant and the pros outweigh the cons, in my opinion.

As for what it will tell me that I don't know, the answer is everything. There was nothing that the DEXA report gave me that I knew already, or knew with that accuracy. If you don't value that information & insight, then don't get a DEXA scan. If you do, it's the gold standard.

[Bill]

TheHeadhunter said:

If you do, it's the gold standard.

It's the gold standard for bone density measurement...

[TheHeadhunter]

Bill said:

TheHeadhunter said:

If you do, it's the gold standard.

It's the gold standard for bone density measurement...

And body composition. Unless you know something that is more accurate?

[otolith]

Very useful for understanding what is happening to you during a diet or exercise program. Very affordable, very low radiation exposure, and the most accurate measurements of body composition you're going to get.

[otolith]

croyde said:

Isn't the problem with these scans is that if something untoward is found, then you will be having to pay private fees to get it sorted.

Can't see the receptionists at my local GP's surgery letting me have an immediate appointment just because I have some paperwork with bad results in my hand.

It's not the kind of scan you think it is. It's not looking for tumours or whatever, it's telling you how much muscle and fat you have in your body and how it is distributed, along with how dense your bones are.

[ukwill]

how about buying a hume healthpod (or similar) instead? whilst the dexa is going to be more accurate, you get to keep the healthpod and more importantly, use it to track over time (which imo is more important)

[Bill]

TheHeadhunter said:

And body composition. Unless you know something that is more accurate?

Visceral fat measurement is an estimate based on subtracting the fat thickness at the side of the trunk from the measurement through the middle. Both MRI and CT image the visceral fat directly.

As a healthy bloke you're bone density is unlikely to be an issue. (You can use a FRAX calculator to double check.)

[TheHeadhunter]

Bill said:

TheHeadhunter said:

And body composition. Unless you know something that is more accurate?

Visceral fat measurement is an estimate based on subtracting the fat thickness at the side of the trunk from the measurement through the middle. Both MRI and CT image the visceral fat directly.

As a healthy bloke you're bone density is unlikely to be an issue. (You can use a FRAX calculator to double check.)

Visceral Fat is only one aspect, and CT and MRI are not 'walk-in' consumer products. And when/if you can, they are about 10x the cost. They are also not really comparable as products.

And 'healthy bloke' does not always equal good bone density.


But you do know that it's not compulsory to have a DEXA scan...?