Your appointment
One scan. What you are really made of.
Your DEXA scan separates your body into fat, lean muscle and bone, region by region. Measured data, not estimates. Here is exactly how your appointment runs and how to arrive ready.
Don't forget your medical questionnaire. Your link is in the booking email we sent you, and it is unique to your appointment. Please complete it before you come.
01 / Do this first
Your medical questionnaire
- Your questionnaire is unique to your booking. It was emailed to you when you booked, so please complete that one.
- Check your inbox, and your spam or junk folder, as it can land there.
- We are unable to carry out your scan until it is complete, so please do it in good time.
- Cannot find it? Contact us and we will resend your link.
02 / What we measure
Three readings your scales cannot give you.
Most tools use algorithms and population averages. A DEXA scan measures directly, tissue by tissue, region by region.
Bone density
Your bone mineral density against reference ranges, so low bone density is identified early rather than after a fracture.
Visceral fat
The fat stored around your organs, which carries the cardiometabolic risk. It is invisible from the outside and invisible on a scale.
Lean muscle, region by region
Muscle mass in each arm and each leg separately, which shows imbalances and catches accelerated decline early.
03 / The visit
How your scan is structured.
Your appointment is around 30 minutes in total.
Watch: what to expect at your scan.
Arrival and welcome
We sit down with you first to understand your goals and your reasons for scanning. That conversation is what lets us get the most out of your scan for you.
Consent form
We take you through your consent form and answer anything you want to ask before we start.
Your scan
You lie still on a flatbed scanner while the arm passes over you. A non-invasive scan, and nothing touches you at any point.
Final questions and departure
We answer anything left over and confirm when your results will land, which is within 2 working days.
04 / On site
Where your scan happens.
Your scan
Inside the TELOMYX mobile clinic
Our mobile clinic is parked at your venue, usually just outside the partner location. It is private, and it is only you and your TELOMYX practitioner inside.
Arriving
Wait outside, we will come to you
Wait in the partner location's reception, just outside the mobile clinic, or in your vehicle, whichever feels most comfortable. There is no need to knock on the clinic door, as we may be scanning another client.
A member of the TELOMYX team will come out and greet you.
Your location and parking
These vary by venue, so your confirmation email carries your specific address, parking and check-in details. Please read it before you set off.
Arrive calm
Walk or drive in gently and give yourself a few spare minutes. Arriving rushed is not the state we want to measure you in.
05 / Preparation
Small rules, better data.
Your body is a dynamic system, constantly adapting to nutrition, hydration and exercise, so its composition shifts through the day. Standardising your condition is what makes the difference between two scans real progress rather than a temporary shift.
Steady the week
The days before- Stay well hydrated in the days before your scan.
- Keep your carbohydrate intake consistent. Every gram of stored glycogen binds three to four grams of water, which can inflate a lean mass reading by kilograms.
- No calcium supplements for 24 hours beforehand, as they can interfere with bone density readings.
Back off
12 to 24 hours before- No intense exercise in the 12 hours before your scan, especially resistance training. A post-workout pump is a short-term fluid shift that increases apparent muscle size.
- No alcohol the night before.
- No high-salt food, which encourages fluid retention.
Arrive ready
On the day- Fasted for 4 hours before your scan. Water is fine throughout. We want to measure your body, not what you are digesting.
- For a morning scan, the easiest way to hit that is to run your overnight fast straight through.
- Do not drink a large amount of water immediately beforehand.
- Empty your bladder shortly before you arrive.
- If you are feeling ill on the day, please let us know and we will reschedule your scan.
06 / Kit
What to wear.
You stay fully dressed for your scan. It just has to be the right kind of clothing.
Wear
Light, comfortable clothing
No zips, buttons or underwired bras. Metal in clothing produces scan artifacts and can increase your bone density readings.
Avoid heavily elasticated clothing, which distorts the image. We want your body to sit naturally on the scanner.
Metal
Jewellery and watches off
Remove all metal where you can, including jewellery, watches and hair clips.
Metal inside your body is not a problem. We can still scan you, and the X-rays will not heat an implant or pose any risk. Just tell us it is there.
07 / Safety
Please tell us if.
Let us know before or on the day if any of these apply to you.
- You are pregnant, or think you might be.
- You have any metal implants, plates, pins or a replacement joint. We can still scan you, we simply need to know.
- You have breast implants, as they can affect your bone density readings.
- You feel unwell or have any infection. If you wake up ill, contact us to reschedule rather than push through.
- You have had a recent scan using contrast dye or a nuclear medicine study.
- Anything else has changed since you completed your questionnaire.
08 / Afterwards
What you walk away with.
Before you leave
A clear understanding of what we have measured, and when you will get your results.
Within 2 working days
Your full report by email, with every metric explained and personalised recommendations written for your goals.
- Body composition and body fat percentage. Clinically measured, not estimated from a handheld device or a set of scales.
- Bone health. Your bone density against reference ranges, so you know where you stand rather than guessing.
- Visceral fat. The fat around your organs, measured, along with what the number means for your risk.
- Muscle mass. Lean tissue mapped limb by limb, including imbalances between left and right.
09 / Repeat scans
Tracking over time? Consistency is everything.
A DEXA scan measures your body exactly as it is presented on the day. Lean mass and total weight are sensitive to hydration, glycogen and stomach contents. Ensuring consistency is key to accurate longitudinal monitoring.
Make your next scan comparable
Book a similar time of day each time, ideally first thing in the morning before you have eaten or trained. Repeat your nutrition, hydration and training as closely as you can in the 48 hours beforehand.
Follow the same pre-scan protocol every time and you get a like-for-like comparison that captures genuine progress rather than a daily fluctuation. If you are a professional athlete, recording your meals in the lead-up makes this easier to repeat, though it is not necessary for most people.
Questions before the day?
Reply to your confirmation email. Your confirmation email also carries your specific location, address and arrival details, along with your medical questionnaire link.
TELOMYX / Data, not guesswork