DXA Bone Density Program | Patient & Family FAQ

• Contrast will interfere with your DXA scan results. Please allow at least 14 days after having any procedure that involves contrast materials (including barium enemas, upper GI series, and CT scans) before undergoing your DXA scan.
• Do not take calcium pills, vitamins, or TUMS the morning of the scan if possible. Since calcium (in your bones) is what we are measuring, taking a pill containing calcium may affect our ability to obtain accurate results. Patients may take medications and eat and drink as normal before the appointment.
• If you have any external hardware, this needs to be removed before your DXA scan.
• Metal objects such as jewelry affect the scan. We ask that you remove metal objects before the test.
• All patients will be asked to change into a hospital gown before the scan — metal hooks, snaps, buttons, zippers, and other metal objects affect scanning results.
• DXA scans involve minimal radiation exposure. However, for the safety of pregnant individuals, we advise against undergoing the test if you are pregnant.
• Patients arriving from another medical facility are kindly requested to provide documentation confirming they are not pregnant.

Our DXA scanner is located on the main campus of Boston Children’s Hospital, at 300 Longwood Ave. Our program is located on the sixth floor of the Farley Building.

• We ask any adult attending a visit at Boston Children’s to please have a photo ID. Adults may be asked to show a photo ID prior to entering the hospital.
• The technologist will ask you to fill out a brief medical history form.
• If you were assigned female at birth and have begun menstruating, or are over the age of 12, you will be asked to affirm you are not pregnant in private at the time of the DXA scan.
• Parents, family members, and friends will be asked to wait in the waiting area. One parent/guardian may accompany younger patients. Pregnant women may not stay in the room during the exam. We cannot provide care for siblings or other young children during the exam.
• The technologist will review the procedure and answer any questions you may have.

• You will be positioned on the table according to the type of scan you are having.
• You will be asked to lie completely still and not talk during the scan. You may breathe normally throughout the test.
• Each scan takes one to six minutes.

The International Society for Clinical Densitometry recommends scanning these areas of the body according to age:

• 4 to 15 years old: total body and spine
• 16 years + old: hip and spine
• At any age: a total body scan will include body composition analysis.

We are able to accommodate individuals weighing up to approximately 450 pounds (approximately 204 kilograms).

We do offer a Hoyer lift and assistance with mobility for individuals requiring additional support. Please inform our staff of any specific needs or accommodations you may require when scheduling your appointment.

We do not advise patients to be sedated during a DXA scan. We do not provide this accommodation.

• Headphones, jewelry, and body piercings should be removed before the scan to prevent interference with the imaging process.
• Cell phone use during the scan is not permitted due to adverse effects on the results.

For families living outside of the United States, please contact Boston Children's Global Services, which facilitates the medical review of patient records and appointment scheduling, and provides assistance with customs and immigration, transportation, and hotel and housing accommodations.

• You will not receive results on the day of your appointment.
• The DXA scans must be analyzed by the technologist, and then reviewed and interpreted by a doctor specializing in bone densitometry.
• When ready, DXA results will be sent to your referring provider, or to the doctor who ordered your scan, within two weeks. This doctor will inform you about your bone density. Members of our team are not permitted to directly give you results.