DEXA Scan in Manchester

Yes. DEXA is a medical investigation so a referral is required. You don't need a GP appointment first. TELOMYX has an in-house NHS doctor who issues your referral as part of the booking process at no extra cost. If you already have a referral from your GP or consultant, upload it at checkout.

DEXA is the medical gold standard for body composition. InBody and bioimpedance devices estimate body fat using electrical current and can be off by 5–10%. Smart scales are typically worse. DEXA directly measures bone, lean tissue and fat in grams, the same technology used in NHS osteoporosis clinics. If you want a measurement you can actually base decisions on, DEXA is the only test worth doing.

The scan itself takes 7 minutes. Including your results walkthrough and targeted goal advice, plan for 30 minutes at The Performance Space, Salford Quays. Free parking is available on-site. Your full medical PDF report follows by email within 48 hours.

Yes. The dose from a single DEXA scan is roughly equivalent to one day of natural background radiation, around 1/400th of a standard chest X-ray. It is considered safe for repeat scans every 3–6 months. DEXA is not recommended during pregnancy.

Yes. The same DEXA scanner that measures body composition also measures bone mineral density at the lumbar spine and hip, the same protocol used for osteoporosis screening in the NHS. We report T-scores and Z-scores in your full report so you have the data you'd get from a bone-density clinic without the referral wait.

A standalone DEXA scan is £120. The DEXA + RMR bundle is £210. Multi-test bundles (DEXA + VO2 Max + RMR) offer the biggest savings, see our bundles page.

Most clients book DEXA every 3–6 months to track body composition changes. For bone density tracking, every 12–24 months is usually appropriate. Clients tracking body recomposition ahead of the Manchester Marathon or a peak Greater Manchester training block typically re-scan every 3 months.

Your DEXA bone density report includes two scores. The T-score compares your bone density to a healthy 30-year-old of your sex (so it tells you your osteoporosis risk). A T-score of -1.0 or higher is normal; -1.0 to -2.5 is osteopenia; below -2.5 is osteoporosis. The Z-score compares you to people of your own age and sex. A Z-score of -2.0 or lower suggests something unusual is affecting your bone density and warrants investigation.

Visceral adipose tissue is the fat stored around your internal organs. It's far more metabolically active and dangerous than subcutaneous fat. High VAT is independently linked to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, even in people with a normal BMI. DEXA reports VAT in grams. Less than 100 g is considered low risk, 100–160 g is moderate, and above 160 g is elevated. The TELOMYX team will walk you through what your specific number means for your risk picture.

DEXA is not recommended during pregnancy due to the small radiation dose. It's also not advisable to scan within 72 hours of a barium meal or contrast-enhanced CT. Metallic implants in the scan field (hip replacements, spinal hardware) don't stop a DEXA scan but will exclude that region from measurement. Let us know in advance of any implants and we'll confirm suitability.

Healthy body fat ranges depend on age and sex. As broad reference points: for women, around 21–32% is generally considered healthy; for men, around 8–19%. Athletes typically sit at the lower end. Your DEXA report includes age- and sex-matched reference ranges so you can see exactly where you sit relative to people of your age and sex.

DEXA does not measure your cardiovascular fitness (that's VO2 Max), your metabolic rate (that's RMR), your hydration status, blood markers, hormones, or specific muscle groups beyond regional totals (arms, legs, trunk). It also won't tell you whether the muscle you have is functional strength. DEXA's job is to tell you precisely what your body is made of in grams. It's the gold standard for that one question.