Having a DEXA bodyfat scan done!!

[shape]

suppose to be more accurate than Hydro--any one ever have it done?

 

[drdug27]

suppose to be more accurate than Hydro--any one ever have it done?

pretty much the most accurate out there besides MRI. Im looking around for someone to do it myself. Where are you getting it done and how much? Ive been trying to find out where to get it done and people have no idea what im talking about.

 

[shape]

pretty much the most accurate out there besides MRI. Im looking around for someone to do it myself. Where are you getting it done and how much? Ive been trying to find out where to get it done and people have no idea what im talking about.

at a local university--$75

 

[drdug27]

at a local university--$75

Thanks shape, keep us updated

 

[solidspine]

What is DEXA?

 

[mikefear]

What is DEXA?

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA, previously DEXA) is a means of measuring bone mineral density (BMD). Two X-ray beams with differing energy levels are aimed at the patient's bones. When soft tissue absorption is subtracted out, the BMD can be determined from the absorption of each beam by bone. DXA is the most widely used and most thoroughly studied bone density measurement technology.

Commonly known as a bone density scan or bone densitometry, DXA scans are used as a screening and diagnostic test for osteoporosis. The bones that are most commonly fractured in humans with osteoporosis are scanned for screening purposes, although osteoporosis can occur in any bone and is not necessarily uniformly distributed in the skeleton. These include the proximal femur, and the lumbar spine. Under some circumstances, the distal radius and ulna are also scanned, usually in obese patients, or those whose orthopedic impairments make scanning of the spine and hips impossible.

In patients who have already sustained a fracture, the DXA scan is used to diagnose osteoporosis if it is suspected. For example, a 50 year old man falls and fractures his hip. The fall is minor enough to suspect some disease of bone may be present. A DXA scan would be used under these circumstances to determine the presence of osteoporosis.

Maximal BMD occurs at age 30 in both males and females. This BMD is used as the standard to which all DXA results are compared. A DXA scan report shows the measured BMD, the difference between the measured BMD and the age-sex matched average, known as the Z score, and the difference between the measured BMD and the sex matched average 30 year old standard, known as the T score. A T score of -1.0 to -2.4 is diagnostic of osteopenia, which confers a modest fracture risk. A T score or -2.5 or less is indicative of osteoporosis.

DXA scans can also be used to measure total body fat content, which is useful for athletes, models and health-conscious people.

Special considerations are involved in the use of DXA to assess bone mass in children. Specifically, comparing the bone mineral density of children to the reference data of adults (to calculate a T-score) will underestimate the BMD of children, because children have less bone mass than fully developed adults. This would lead to an overdiagnosis of osteopenia for children. To avoid an overestimation of bone mineral deficits, BMD scores are commonly compared to reference data for the same gender and age (by calculating a z-score).

Also, there are other variables in addition to age which are suggested to confound the interpretation of BMD as measured by DXA. One important confounding variable is bone size. DXA has been shown to overestimate the bone mineral density of taller subjects and underestimate the bone mineral density of smaller subjects. This error is due to the way in which DXA calculates BMD. In DXA, bone mineral content (measured as the attenuation of X-ray by the bones being scanned) is divided by the area (also measured by the machine) of the site being scanned.

Because DXA calculates BMD using area (aBMD: areal bone mineral density), it is not an accurate measurement of true bone mineral density, which is mass divided by a volume.[1] The confounding effect of differences in bone size is due to the missing depth value in the calculation of bone mineral density.[2]Methods to correct for this shortcoming include the calculation of a volume which is approximated from the projected area measure by DXA. DXA BMD results adjusted in this manner, are referred to as the bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) and are a ratio of the bone mineral content versus a cuboidal estimation of the volume of bone. Like aBMD, BMAD results do not accurately represent true bone mineral density, since they use approximations of the bone's volume.[3]

BMAD is used primarily for research purposes and is not used in clinical settings, yet.

Information for Patients

DXA uses X-rays to assess bone mineral density, however the radiation dose is approximately 1/30th that of a standard chest X-ray.

The quality of DXA operators varies widely. DXA is not regulated like other radiation based imaging techniques because of its low dosage. Each state has a different policy as to what certifications are needed to operate a DXA machine. California for example requires coursework and a state-run test, whereas Maryland has no requirements for DXA technicians. Many states require a training course and certificate from the International Society of Clinical Densitometry (ISCD). Because BMD testing with DXA is very susceptible to operator error (it is not fool-proof) it is important to find out what qualifies the technician to operate the machine.

It is important for patients to get repeat BMD measurements done on the same machine each time, or at least a machine from the same manufacturer. Error between machines, or trying to convert measurements from one manufacturer's standard to another can introduce errors large enough to wipe out the sensitivity of the measurements.

 

[mikefear]

Also..

How to Test Your Body Fat

DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry)

This test is used to measure bone density, but it also measures body fat percentage as well as where most of your fat is (as if you didn't know). The facts about DEXA:

DEXA uses a whole body scanner and two different low-dose x-rays to read bone mass and soft tissue mass.
It takes about 10-20 minutes to do a body scan
It provides a high degree of precision with a 2-3 % margin of error.
This is considered a gold standard for measuring body fat and bone density
It's painless
Check with your doctor to see if this is right for you and call your insurance company as they may cover it. The cost is usually about $100.

 

[macrophage69alpha]

suppose to be more accurate than Hydro--any one ever have it done?

yes. Its quite interesting. the price has come down tremendously.

 

[gunrunner]

I have had the DXA scan done about a month ago. A few weeks before my cycle. I am on week 3.5 of 12weeks of 400mg cyp wk with 3.33iu's of gh ed.
Will find a way to post up numbers and pics near the end of week 12. Maybe then I will have to go plat to post up.
Scan takes about 7min on the new machines, 20 on the old.

 

[macrophage69alpha]

it would be interesting to see the scan and #'s

 

[get456]

is there a particular reason you would have it done?

I mean are you having issues that you want to address? According to the link info mikefear posted, the error percent is still 2-3%, so... not all that much more accurate than calipers right?

Also, lets say you get measured and the guy says you are 20%, then you go again and you are 15%, then 10%... whatever... isnt being able to chart progress the main reason for doing it? being able to measure your results?

If you are 7% vs 7.75% does it matter?

all serious questions, just kind of interested, since that is still quite a bit of money for something that doesnt specifically mean that much (seemingly)

 

[macrophage69alpha]

dexa provides a real look a body composition not just bodyfat


and its more accurate. 2-3% from actual not a margin of 2-3% bodyfat (which is what most tests give or more)

 

[tbolking]

subscribed

 

[gunrunner]

The scan is pretty amazing. It breaks the body up into different sections. It can tell you the exact amount of bone, muscle fiber, fat to the GRAM! Also total lean muscle, bone, and fat.
I got it done for bone density since 1993 just shits and giggles. That's when I found out that my bone density was low. It progressively got worse over the years. Started taking fosmax, the shit they give old women and I guess men too that have bone loss.
Anyhow, to make a long story short. 2nd cycle had deca in it. Did a scan and the doctor was like "this has got to be wrong, I've never seen anything like this in my 30yrs of practice" Basically, I was in the orange with my levels. Deca put me back into the green. I was like I guess it was the fosomax.. Doc didn't buy it. Sorry for going off topic.
DXA scan, dosen't get any better unless they disect you into little pieces...

 

[shape]

had the scan --the test is more for testing bone density--i thought it was accurate for BF --the people performing the test asked my why i chose DEXA over hydrostsatic because for a bodybuilder hydro is the gold standard-DEXA does not have a 2-3% i was told by the docs running it--it gives you a range that can be between 8-9%-- get this either way!!!---so i think I am around 12 ish---i came in at 18 according to the DEXA--they told me i could be between 9 and 27% BF--total BS--waste of money---one good thing they said the weightlifitng has given me incredibly dense bones in the spine,neck, arms , legs etc--they said that is attributed solely to lifting