You lie on a padded table while a scanner arm passes over your hip and spine with a very low x-ray dose - about 10 to 30 minutes, no needles, no tunnel, no prep.
The result is a T-score: normal, osteopenia, or osteoporosis, and your doctor combines it with your risk factors to decide between lifestyle measures and medication.
What to do
Common questions
What happens at a bone density scan?
One of the easiest tests in medicine. You lie fully clothed - no metal zippers or buttons - on a padded table while a scanning arm passes slowly over your hip and spine, measuring bone mineral content with a very low dose of x-rays. The whole thing takes about 10 to 30 minutes, most of it positioning. There are no injections for the standard scan, no enclosed tunnel, no noise, and no special prep beyond skipping calcium supplements for 24 hours beforehand if your center asks. The result comes back as T-scores: a number at or above minus 1 is normal, between minus 1 and minus 2.5 signals osteopenia, and below minus 2.5 is osteoporosis. Your doctor combines the score with your age, history, and fracture risk factors to decide whether lifestyle measures suffice or medication makes sense. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can help you read a DEXA report when it arrives.