Tests · 7 providers publish prices · checked 21 Oct 2026
DEXA scan: what it costs and what the evidence says
Published prices for a DEXA scan run US$175 in the United States (1 price), from A$100 to A$5,199 in Australia (10 prices) and from MX$28,600 to MX$28,600 in Mexico (2 prices). Our evidence label for it is Established. Recommended in clinical guidelines for defined uses.
A DEXA scan (also written DXA) uses low-dose X-rays to measure how dense your bones are. It usually scans the lower spine and hips. It is the standard test for bone density and helps doctors find osteoporosis, a condition that makes bones break more easily. Some clinics also offer a whole-body scan that estimates how much fat, muscle and bone you have. This is called a body composition scan.
What it measures and misses. Bone density shows your risk of breaking a bone, but it cannot say who will have a fracture. Arthritis in the spine, a past spine fracture or spine surgery can make the result less accurate. Results from different machines cannot be compared directly (RadiologyInfo). Specialists advise having a follow-up scan on the same machine as the last one (ISCD, 2023).
Radiation. The dose is very low: less than one-tenth of a standard chest X-ray, and less than the natural background radiation we all get in a day (RadiologyInfo). Experts at the Health Physics Society put a hip and spine scan at about 0.001 mSv and a whole-body scan at about 0.003 mSv.
What the evidence says
Guidelines recommend bone density tests for defined groups. The US Preventive Services Task Force (2025) recommends screening women aged 65 and over, and younger women after the menopause who have a higher risk of fracture. It found too little evidence to judge screening in men. The International Society for Clinical Densitometry (2023) says a test is indicated for women aged 65 and over, men aged 70 and over, and younger adults with risk factors. In the UK, NICE advises working out fracture risk with a risk tool first, and considering a DEXA scan when the result is close to the point where treatment would be offered.
Body composition scans have narrower support. The ISCD lists a few medical uses, such as some people living with HIV, people after weight-loss surgery, and people with muscle weakness. For some of these uses it says the effect on health is uncertain. Its list does not include routine scans for healthy people.
Established means: Recommended in clinical guidelines for defined uses.
Published prices
| Provider | Item | What is included | Time | Price | About US$ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive Longevity ClinicSydney, Australia | DEXA Scan - During SEM Consultation (add-on) | Not stated with the price | – | A$100 | 70 |
| MeasureUp Pitt Street LabSydney, Australia | DEXA scan (15 min, scan with brief summary) | Not stated with the price | 15 min | A$109 | 76 |
| Progressive Longevity ClinicSydney, Australia | DEXA + Exercise Physiologist Consult (30 min interpretation) | Not stated with the price | 30 min | A$175 | 122 |
| MeasureUp Pitt Street LabSydney, Australia | DEXA + consult (30 min, with accredited exercise physiologist) | Not stated with the price | 30 min | A$199 | 139 |
| Evolve LongevityMiami, United States | DEXA Scan | Not stated with the price | 30 min | US$175 | – |
| Progressive Longevity ClinicSydney, Australia | DEXA + Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) bundle | Not stated with the price | – | A$275 | 192 |
| EverlabMelbourne, Australia | DEXA Pro Scan | Not stated with the price | – | A$299 | 209 |
| MeasureUp Pitt Street LabSydney, Australia | RMR + DEXA + consult (60 min) | Not stated with the price | 60 min | A$395 | 276 |
| MeasureUp Pitt Street LabSydney, Australia | Longevity Package (DEXA consult + VO2 max + grip strength; 90 min) | Not stated with the price | 90 min | A$585 | 409 |
| Progressive Longevity ClinicSydney, Australia | Initial Exercise Physiologist Session (DEXA, VO2 Max, VALD strength, report; 90 min) | Not stated with the price | 90 min | A$700 | 489 |
| Centro Médico ABC Observatorio (Check Ups)Mexico City, Mexico | Check up Femenino Completo + densitometríaTax and service included · Brand-wide price | Not stated with the price | – | MX$28,600 | 1,540 |
| Centro Médico ABC Santa Fe (Check Ups)Mexico City, Mexico | Check up Femenino Completo + densitometríaTax and service included · Brand-wide price | Not stated with the price | – | MX$28,600 | 1,540 |
| Oracle HealthcareSydney, Australia | Everest (40+ health metrics; 6.5 h incl. 6 health-coaching sessions and repeat Vectra, DEXA and blood testing) | Not stated with the price | – | A$5,199 | 3,630 |
From each provider's own price page, checked 21 Oct 2026. A brand-wide price is shown once per site. US dollars at the ECB rate of 20 Oct 2026, for comparison only.
By country
Questions to ask before you book
- Is the scan for bone density, body composition or both?
- Who reads the scan, and will a doctor explain the result?
- Will any follow-up scan be done on the same machine?
- Do I need to stop calcium tablets before the scan, or wait after a recent scan that used contrast dye?
- Will my own doctor receive the report?
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Sources
- US Preventive Services Task Force: osteoporosis to prevent fractures, screening, 14 January 2025
- International Society for Clinical Densitometry: 2023 adult official positions
- NICE guideline CG146: osteoporosis, assessing the risk of fragility fracture
- RadiologyInfo.org: bone densitometry (DEXA, DXA), reviewed 11 March 2024
- Health Physics Society, Ask the Experts: radiation dose from DEXA scans, 2020