How much radiation is in a DEXA scan?
An adult bone-density DEXA scan of the hip or spine on the fan-beam Hologic scanners measured in a 2010 review gives an effective dose of approximately 0.009 to 0.013 mSv [1]. An adult whole-body DEXA scan, the scan used for body composition, gives an effective dose of approximately 0.0042 to 0.0084 mSv on the Hologic scanners measured in a 2010 review [1]. Published DEXA radiation doses differ by scanner generation, scanner model, scan site and scan type, so no single figure fits every DEXA scan [1][2][3].
Radiation Dose by Scan Type
A DEXA scan is an X-ray test that uses a low dose of radiation [4]. A whole-body DEXA scan for body composition and a hip-and-spine DEXA scan for bone density are different scans with different published dose figures [1][3].
Bone-Density Scans (Hip and Spine)
A 2010 review in European Radiology gives the effective dose of an adult bone-density DEXA scan on fan-beam Hologic scanners as approximately 0.009 mSv for the hip and 0.013 mSv for the spine [1]. A 2010 review in European Radiology reports that first-generation pencil-beam DEXA scanners gave an effective dose of about 0.001 mSv for a spine and hip scan, and that doses are considerably higher on fan-beam scanners [1]. Older pencil-beam DEXA scanners gave lower radiation doses than fan-beam DEXA scanners [1].
Whole-Body (Body Composition) Scans
A 2010 review in European Radiology gives the effective dose of an adult whole-body DEXA scan as approximately 0.0042 mSv on a Hologic Discovery A scanner and 0.0084 mSv on a Hologic Discovery W scanner [1]. A 2017 research review in the journal Bone states that a single whole-body DEXA scan gives an effective dose of less than 10 microsieverts, which the authors describe as similar to the natural background radiation a person receives over one day at sea level [3].
Peripheral Scans
A 2010 review in European Radiology reports that peripheral DEXA scans give an effective dose lower than 0.01 mSv [1].
RadiologyInfo.org's Typical Value
RadiologyInfo.org, a patient site run by the Radiological Society of North America and the American College of Radiology, lists a typical effective dose of 0.001 mSv for bone densitometry (DEXA) in an average-sized adult and compares that dose to about 3 hours of natural background radiation [2]. RadiologyInfo.org notes that its dose figures are typical values for an average-sized adult and that the actual dose can vary substantially [2]. RadiologyInfo.org's typical value of 0.001 mSv matches the figure a 2010 review in European Radiology gives for first-generation pencil-beam scanners, and is lower than that review's figures for fan-beam hip and spine scans [1][2]. RadiologyInfo.org states that a DEXA bone-density test uses less than one-tenth the dose of a standard chest x-ray, and less than a day's exposure to natural radiation [5].
Units
The radiation figures for DEXA scans are effective doses, reported in millisieverts (mSv) or microsieverts (µSv) [1][3]. One millisievert (mSv) equals 1,000 microsieverts (µSv), so 10 microsieverts equals 0.01 mSv [6].
DEXA Radiation Doses at a Glance
| Scan type | Effective dose (as the source reports it) | Comparison, as the source makes it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult hip, bone density, fan-beam (Hologic) | Approximately 0.009 mSv | Not reported | Damilakis 2010, European Radiology |
| Adult spine, bone density, fan-beam (Hologic) | Approximately 0.013 mSv | Not reported | Damilakis 2010, European Radiology |
| Spine and hip, first-generation pencil-beam | About 0.001 mSv (spine and hip, first-generation pencil-beam) | Not reported | Damilakis 2010, European Radiology |
| Bone densitometry, typical value (same figure as first-generation pencil-beam scanners) | 0.001 mSv (typical value, average-sized adult) | About 3 hours of natural background radiation (RadiologyInfo.org) | RadiologyInfo.org (RSNA/ACR) |
| Bone-density test (RadiologyInfo.org DEXA page) | Not reported | Less than one-tenth of a standard chest x-ray; less than a day's natural radiation (RadiologyInfo.org, bone-density test) | RadiologyInfo.org (RSNA/ACR) |
| Peripheral DEXA | Lower than 0.01 mSv (peripheral DEXA) | Not reported | Damilakis 2010, European Radiology |
| Adult whole body (body composition), Hologic Discovery A | Approximately 0.0042 mSv | Not reported | Damilakis 2010, European Radiology |
| Adult whole body (body composition), Hologic Discovery W | Approximately 0.0084 mSv | Not reported | Damilakis 2010, European Radiology |
| Single whole-body scan (review estimate) | Under 10 µSv (under 0.01 mSv) | Under 10 µSv; similar to one day of natural background radiation at sea level (Shepherd 2017) | Shepherd 2017, Bone |
RadiologyInfo.org's typical value of 0.001 mSv matches the figure a 2010 review in European Radiology gives for first-generation pencil-beam scanners, and is lower than that review's figures for fan-beam hip and spine scans [1][2].
Radiation Risk Context
A DEXA scan does involve X-ray exposure, although the dose is low [4]. The Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation's 2022 clinician's guide states that DXA scans are associated with exposure to "trivial amounts of radiation" [7]. The US Preventive Services Task Force states that centrally measured DXA "uses low doses of radiation" [4]. A 2010 review in European Radiology states that, as with any X-ray test, each DEXA exam must always be clinically justified [1]. A 2010 review in European Radiology states that keeping radiation dose low matters more for children's scans than for adults' scans because children are more vulnerable to radiation [1].
RadiologyInfo.org advises that women should always tell their doctor and the technologist if they are pregnant before a DEXA exam [5]. Tell the facility if you are or may be pregnant before any DEXA scan.
Talk to a licensed clinician about whether a DEXA scan is appropriate for you.
If you have a medical emergency, call 911. Problems with medical devices, including imaging equipment, can be reported to FDA through MedWatch.
Ordering a DEXA Scan
Some facilities require a clinician's order; requirements vary by state and facility. Ask the facility what it requires before you schedule.
Providers who list DEXA scans
Related Diagnostics & Treatments
- Hub: DEXA Scan (DXA): Bone Density and Body Composition Testing
- Comparison: DEXA vs. InBody
- Comparison: DEXA Body Composition vs. Bone Density Scan
References
- Damilakis J, Adams JE, Guglielmi G, Link TM. Radiation exposure in X-ray-based imaging techniques used in osteoporosis. Eur Radiol. 2010;20(11):2707-2714. doi:10.1007/s00330-010-1845-0. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-010-1845-0. Accessed 2026-09-27.
- RadiologyInfo.org (Radiological Society of North America and American College of Radiology). Radiation Dose. Last reviewed April 15, 2025. https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/safety-xray. Accessed 2026-09-27.
- Shepherd JA, Ng BK, Sommer MJ, Heymsfield SB. Body composition by DXA. Bone. 2017;104:101-105. doi:10.1016/j.bone.2017.06.010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bone.2017.06.010. Accessed 2026-09-27.
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures: Screening. Final recommendation, January 14, 2025. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/osteoporosis-screening. Accessed 2026-09-27.
- RadiologyInfo.org (Radiological Society of North America and American College of Radiology). Bone Densitometry (DEXA, DXA). Last reviewed March 11, 2024. https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/dexa. Accessed 2026-09-27.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology. Metric (SI) Prefixes. Last updated August 13, 2025. https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/metric-si-prefixes. Accessed 2026-09-27.
- LeBoff MS, Greenspan SL, Insogna KL, et al. The clinician's guide to prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int. 2022;33(10):2049-2102. doi:10.1007/s00198-021-05900-y. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-021-05900-y. Accessed 2026-09-27.