Total body composition analysis using DEXA provides the most highly accurate method of non-invasive measurement of skeletal bone status, as well as lean and fat tissue components including percent fat, lean tissue mass, etc. The accurate measurement of total as well as regional bone and tissue composition has relevance in a number of clinical conditions, as well as for those health and fitness enthusiasts who wish to monitor the effectiveness of their training regimes. (more...) Applications for Total Body BMD and Body Composition: Weight-reduction treatment   Growth hormone treatment Primary hyperparathyroidism  Secondary hyperparathyroidism Anabolic steroids therapy Anorexia nervosa Cushing's syndrome Muscular dystrophy Cachexic disorders (AIDS, cancer) Malabsorptive syndromes Exercise physiology (more...)

Q: What about BMI (body mass index) measurements - are they accurate? A: Click here for the answer - you might be surprised! Fitness comes in many shapes and sizes - check out this article from New Woman magazine

Total Body BMD and body composition are valuable tools in the management of clinical disorders. In addition, regional fat distribution is clinically useful in relation to assessing cardiovascular disease risk, glucose metabolism, and insulin resistance.

By understanding how your muscle, fat, and bone react to lifestyle changes, you’ll be able to improve weight loss, create a highly targeted exercise program, and reduce your chance of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. So how does it work?

A fine, very low-dose x-ray beam is passed through the body to a detector array, and the resultant attenuation using dual energy filtering provides exceptionally accurate measurement of bone, muscle and fat. By repeating the scan every three or six months (depending on your requirements), you can track your progress with certainty. Just knowing exactly how you are doing provides the best motivation you can get!

Dr Jarrod Meerkin is an experienced Exercise Physiologist with a Ph.D. from Queensland University of Technology, a Masters degree (with honours) and a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Wollongong.

During his research on exercise and obesity, Dr. Meerkin observed the psychological effect pre and post DEXA imaging had on patients pursuing lifestyle changes.  While a patient’s scales can indicate a loss of weight, DEXA was able to enhance these results by showing the effect of the weight loss on the soft tissues of the body.  For example, DEXA showed that a net weight loss of 3 kilos included a 7 kilo reduction in adipose (fat) tissue and a 4 kilo gain in muscle.  By understanding their body’s response to exercise, patients were able to tailor their workouts to fit their lifestyle goals and see greater results sooner.  With more reward for their efforts, patients were inspired to continue.

Using DEXA to determine the proportion of lean body mass (muscle) versus total body fat is a valuable clinical tool in the management of long-term health and fitness.  By assessing changes in body composition over time, professional and recreational athletes are able to customise their training to achieve specific physiological goals, and develop tailored sports injury management plans.

For those seeking lifestyle changes and weight loss, DEXA body composition measurements provide accurate exercise effectiveness assessments and soft tissue analysis.  With a greater understanding of how your body is responding to the changes made, patients are more inspired to persist with and maintain their newly adopted lifestyle.

With DEXA you can analyse the composition of your whole body, or that of a defined region, such as an arm, both legs, or your torso.  Undergoing a full body DEXA scan is as simple as lying on a table for around 3 minutes.  You stay fully clothed throughout the process, and the non-invasive scan is completely pain free.

The use and safety of DEXA is well proven.  More than 70% of pharmaceutical clinical trials currently utilise DEXA technology, while DEXA body composition assessment is proving highly beneficial in advanced clinical weight loss trials.  To date, over 2000 research papers have used DEXA for body composition assessment purposes.  DEXA results are also commonly used to show intermediate outcomes in many Nutrition and Metabolic Disorder studies. This widespread acceptance has helped DEXA technology achieve a gold standard for ease of use, accuracy and test / retest repeatability.

FAQ's

Q: "How much radiation do I get from a total body composition scan?"

A: The quick answer is an insignificant amount. We get exposed to radiation every day, from the atmosphere, from the ground - even talcum powder gives off a tiny amount of radiation. This is called 'natural background radiation'.

The radiation from a total body composition scan is equivalent to less than half a day of natural background radiation.

For more information, download this paper on "Radiation Risks of DEXA Total Body Scans" > - 136Kb

Q: "Do I need a referral for a total body composition scan?"

A: A referral is not required - just call up and book in!

Q: "How much does it cost for a total body composition scan?"

A: The fee schedule can be found here.

Q: "What about Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements - are they accurate"?
A: Check out the two men featured below with the same BMI, and judge for yourself! Only DEXA Body Composition can give you the answers you really need.
The man on the left has 13% body fat; the man on the right 26.3%. Same BMI, twice the body fat! The man on the left is a body builder. The most exercise the man on the right does is lifting his beer glass!

      The Problem with using Body Mass Index to Assess Your Health

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