Make the comparison count.

Keep the conditions consistent.

Ask your clinic for its written preparation protocol. Check the instructions for meals, fluids, recent exercise, clothing and time of day. Tell the operator if you prepared differently for a previous scan.

Do not deliberately dehydrate yourself or change medication to influence a result. Follow the clinic’s advice if fasting or fluid instructions need adapting for your health.

The AIS DXA resources explain why a consistent assessment process matters. Where possible, return to the same equipment and protocol.

When should you book another scan?

Agree on the purpose first. For a body composition goal, ask what decision another scan would change and whether enough time has passed to expect a measurable difference. We do not recommend a fixed schedule for everyone.

For bone density monitoring, the interval should be decided with your GP. Your health, treatment and previous findings matter. See ISCD follow-up guidance.

A small change might be measurement noise.

Ask the clinic about its least significant change, often called LSC. This helps judge whether a difference exceeds the variation in its measurement process. Avoid applying another facility’s threshold to your own reports.

Your record

No account needed. Saving on this device is optional. Keep the original reports too; the numbers below cannot capture all their detail.