The DEXASCAN is a valuable tool for both men and women of all ages and is available in many locations across the country.

The DEXASCAN offers a measurement of your Body composition and of your bone density. This is great news for those of us in this “ tech age” who wants a scientific, measurable approach to evaluating our bodies. It is a simple, safe procedure using a very small dose of ionizing radiation which will determine the areas of stored lean muscle, fat, water and bone.

BODY COMPOSITION:

The Body Composition scan takes seven minutes and uses two x-ray beams while you lay flat on the table.
The results are immediate and will show how much body fat and muscle you carry on your legs, arms and torso as well as how it is distributed. The visceral fat around your organs is also recorded. If you have a baseline then future scans will indicate any changes be they good or perhaps not so great. Your body fat might be increasing at the cost of reduced lean body tissue ( muscle ). Conversely, you might be delighted to learn that your fitness level has improved. You are also tracking your weight loss (we hope!) or gain. With our advancing years, many of us can benefit from such a wakeup call. More specifically, the scan will appeal to bodybuilders and athletes. While they may be content with how they perceive their body composition, the scan could point out an uneven distribution of muscle caused by repeated athletic maneuvers. This could affect an athlete’s coordination. No matter if you are a pro athlete or just a person concerned with maximizing your body’s well being, the DEXASCAN offers you the knowledge and awareness to improve your body composition.

BONE DENSITY:

Bone densitometry, also called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry DEXA or DXA, radiation takes pictures to measure the bone density of the body. There are other methods such as Ultrasound but DEXA is the most commonly used procedure for diagnosing osteoporosis and for tracking results of any treatment. It can also asses your risk factor for developing fractures.

A relatively new condition which precedes osteoporosis is called osteopenia. This term was coined in 1994 by a working group of the World Health Organization. Its purpose was to collect bone density data of post-menopausal women worldwide.

The scale used is called a T-Score.

NORMAL: -1 and above

OSTEOPENIA: between -1 and -2.5

OSTEOPOROSIS: less than -2.5

The scan differs from the body composition scan in that the duration is ten to 20 minutes again laying flat. It takes no preparation and any precautions would be addressed prior to the scan.

The benefits of having this scan are numerous.

*It can assess risk for developing fractures in conjunction with family history of fractures and osteoporosis, age, and body weight.

*Older patients experiencing that dreaded condition of shrinking height can be assessed.

*A vertical fracture assessment on the DXA will yield images of possible spinal deformity of fracture.

You are at higher risk of bone loss if you:

* Are a post-menopausal woman over 5 ‘ 7” tall or if you are very thin.

* Are a man with clinical conditions associated with bone loss such as rheumatoid arthritis or chronic kidney disease.

* Take certain medication known to cause bone loss.

* Smoke or drink excessive amounts of alcohol.

Thus, if you are interested in your body tone or weight loss or if you are concerned about the health and strength of your bones, the DEXASCAN is for you. It is a valuable tool for both men and women of all ages and is available in many locations across the country. 

About the Author:
Anita is a Travel Consultant who for may years worked for Air New Zealand. Now she enjoys writing for blogs and sharing her travel experiences. She lives in Vancouver Canada with her husband and a spoiled cat. You can contact Anita at: [email protected].

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