DEXA Body Composition Scan
A DEXA scan measures your body fat, lean muscle and visceral fat, region by region, in about 10 minutes. No referral, results in your Mito dashboard.
- Body fat, lean muscle and visceral fat, broken down by arm, leg and trunk
- About 10 minutes on an open table, with no needles and a tiny radiation dose
- No referral needed. Your report lands in your Mito dashboard, next to your labs
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Results on your Mito dashboard
- Scanned at a partner center near you
Why people order the DEXA Body Composition Scan
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See whether you're losing fat or muscle
The scale only shows total weight. DEXA separates fat from lean mass, so you can tell whether a diet, a training block or a weight-loss medication is taking muscle with it.
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Protect muscle on a GLP-1
In body composition substudies of the semaglutide and tirzepatide trials, roughly a quarter to two fifths of the weight lost was lean mass. A baseline scan and a follow-up show how much of yours is muscle.
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Track visceral fat
Visceral fat sits around your organs and is linked to insulin resistance and heart risk. You can't see it in the mirror or on a BMI chart. DEXA estimates it directly.
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Set a training baseline
Know your lean mass for each arm and leg, spot left and right imbalances, and judge a cut or a bulk by what actually changed.
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Protect muscle in midlife
Muscle mass declines with age, and faster around menopause. A scan gives you a number to protect instead of a guess.
Not the right test if
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You want to check for osteoporosis
This scan reads bone across your whole body, which guidelines don't use to diagnose osteoporosis. For that, order the DEXA Bone Density Scan of your hip and spine.
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You're pregnant or might be
DEXA uses a very small X-ray dose, so it isn't done during pregnancy.
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You've had a barium or contrast exam recently
Leftover contrast skews the reading. Partner centers need 7 days to have passed, and BodySpec asks for 2 weeks.
Do I need a referral?
No. You order online. If a partner center requires a physician's order, it is arranged for you.
BodySpec or a partner center: what's the difference?
It is the same DEXA scan on the same kind of machine. The difference is where you go and what it costs. BodySpec runs its own studios and mobile units in California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas and Washington. Fitnescity partners with more than 1,000 hospitals and imaging centers nationwide. We show the lower price for your state, and you can switch in your cart.
Does insurance cover it?
Almost never. Body composition scans are elective, so plan to pay out of pocket.
Can I pay with my HSA or FSA?
Yes. You can pay with your HSA or FSA card at checkout.
How soon do I get results?
BodySpec results are usually ready the same day. Partner center reports usually arrive within 24 hours, and officially within 2 business days. Either way they land in your Mito dashboard.
What members say on Trustpilot
What the DEXA Body Composition Scan measures
DEXA, short for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, passes two very low-dose X-ray beams over your body while you lie still on an open table. Fat, lean tissue and bone absorb the beams differently, so the scan can tell them apart and map where each one sits. Research labs and sports medicine clinics use it as the reference method for body composition.
Bathroom scales and smart scales estimate body fat from your weight or a small electrical current, and their readings swing with how much water you're carrying. DEXA measures tissue directly, region by region, which is why it is the scan people repeat to track real change.
The radiation dose is tiny: a small fraction of a chest X-ray, roughly what you absorb from natural background radiation in a few hours.
- Report includes
- Body fat percentage, Lean mass, Visceral fat, Arms, legs and trunk, Belly and hip fat, Whole-body bone density
- Method
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)
- Scanner
- Clinical DEXA scanner, such as GE Lunar or Hologic
- Time on the table
- About 10 minutes, lying still on an open table
- Radiation
- A tiny fraction of a chest X-ray, roughly a few hours of natural background
- Results
- On your Mito dashboard
Which DEXA scan do I need?
| Compare | Body composition scan | Bone density scan |
|---|---|---|
| What it scans | Your whole body in one pass | Your hip and lower spine |
| What you learn | Fat, lean mass and visceral fat, by region | Bone density T-score and Z-score, plus fracture risk if you're 40 or older |
| Diagnoses osteoporosis | No | Yes, with your clinician |
| Best for | Weight loss, training, muscle on a GLP-1, visceral fat | Osteoporosis screening and bone health |
| How often | Every 3 to 6 months while you're making changes | Usually every 2 years or more |
| Insurance | Rarely covered | Often covered if you meet screening criteria |
Your results
What your DEXA Body Composition Scan report shows
Percentiles compare you with people of your age and sex. Change over time on the same machine tells you more than any single number.
Body fat percentage
Your total fat as a share of body weight, with a percentile for your age and sex. The headline number for any recomposition goal.
Lean mass
Muscle, organs and water: everything that isn't fat or bone. The number to protect while losing weight and to grow while training.
Visceral fat
An estimate of the fat packed around your organs, the type most linked to insulin resistance and heart risk. It often falls faster than total fat when habits change.
Arms, legs and trunk
Fat and lean mass for each arm, each leg and your trunk, so you can see where you carry fat and spot left and right imbalances.
Belly and hip fat
Fat around your middle (android) compared with your hips (gynoid). A higher middle share is linked to higher metabolic risk.
Whole-body bone density
A bone reading across your whole skeleton compared with people your age. Useful context, not an osteoporosis test.
What this scan can't tell you
- It doesn't diagnose osteoporosis. That takes a bone density scan of your hip and spine.
- Visceral fat is an estimate. It tracks change well but isn't a diagnosis on its own.
- Food, fluids and hard training can shift lean mass by a pound or two, which is why preparation matters.
- Numbers from different machines or brands aren't directly comparable.
How it works
What to expect from your DEXA Body Composition Scan
- 1 Order online
Check out on Mito. No referral needed.
- 2 Book your time
Choose a location and your preferred times. You get a confirmation, usually within hours.
- 3 Get scanned
Wear clothes with no metal, lie on an open table and stay still for about 10 minutes while the scanner arm passes over you.
- 4 Get your report
Results arrive within a day or two and land in your Mito dashboard, next to your labs.
- 5 Rescan to track change
Most people rescan every 3 to 6 months, on the same machine.
How much the DEXA Body Composition Scan costs
Compare Mito member and non-member prices for this scan with recently checked comparable offers. There is no separate center or order fee.
| Provider | Scan price | Additional fee |
|---|---|---|
| Mito member | $60.48 | $9/mo Mito membership |
| Mito non-member | $79.00 | None No membership needed |
| Superpower | $199.00 | $349.00 Yearly membership |
Mito prices come from the live catalog for the selected provider. Competitor prices were checked October 2, 2026. Superpower's price requires its yearly membership, shown as its fee. You don't need a Mito membership to buy: it lowers the price for $9 a month.
Every result comes with a plan
Your scan report arrives in your Mito dashboard alongside your lab results, and your membership plan uses it.
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Your report in your dashboard. Your scan results arrive in your Mito dashboard, next to your lab results.
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Part of your plan. With membership, your personalized action plan takes your scan results into account.
DEXA Body Composition Scan testing you can trust
Handled under HIPAA
- Order online, then book at a partner center
- Your data is encrypted, handled under HIPAA, and never sold
Overseen by our Care Team Lead
Every result, including your Mito Brain analysis, is checked by Rhonda Collins, FNP-C, our Care Team Lead and a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with over 15 years of nursing experience across cardiac ICU, primary care, and dermatology.
Meet RhondaCommon DEXA Body Composition Scan questions
What does a DEXA scan show?
How long does a DEXA scan take?
How accurate is a DEXA scan for body fat?
DEXA vs InBody or a smart scale: what's the difference?
Is a DEXA scan safe?
How often should I get a DEXA scan?
Does a DEXA body composition scan check bone density?
How do I prepare for a DEXA scan?
How much does a DEXA scan cost?
Can a DEXA scan detect cancer?
Is a DEXA scan worth it?
Where can I get a DEXA scan near me?
How do availability and prices vary by state?
Available in all 50 states and Washington, DC.
| States | Provider | Availability | Member price | Non-member price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All 50 states and DC | Fitnescity Health | Available | $135.00 | $189.00 |
| CA, CO, IL, MA, TX, and WA | BodySpec | Available | $60.48 | $79.00 |