DEXA Scans Gold Coast
Comprehensive Body Composition and Bone Density Testing
At MNT Diagnostics, we now offer DEXA scans using one of the most advanced, low-radiation machines available on the Gold Coast. Whether you're tracking muscle and fat changes, assessing bone health, or managing a complex condition, our scans provide accurate and clinically meaningful data to guide your next steps within a 10-minute non-invasive and safe procedure.
MNT Diagnostics believes in going above and beyond for our patients, which is why we’ve invested in the safest and most accurate DEXA machine in the world that delivers exceptionally low radiation exposure—up to 70 times lower than a chest X-ray and less than a short domestic flight or a day in the sun. Standard DEXA scans can produce ~7-9 units of radiation, our machine produces only ~0.1 units!
Book your next scan at our Robina clinic today.
Who Can Benefit from a DEXA Scan?
DEXA scans offer highly detailed insights into body composition, making them ideal for several groups of people seeking accurate, actionable health data:
Fitness Enthusiasts and Athletes
Many gym-goers and athletes rely on Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) scans found in fitness centres. However, these scans often lack the accuracy needed to track precise changes in body composition. DEXA scans are significantly more accurate and can detect even small changes in muscle mass and fat distribution, providing a clearer picture for those focused on building muscle or cutting fat.
Individuals Managing Weight
Traditional tools like BMI don’t provide a full picture of body composition, often failing to distinguish between muscle, fat, bone and water. DEXA scans offer a far more detailed analysis, showing not just fat loss but how much muscle is being retained. This data helps individuals on a weight management journey follow a healthier, more targeted approach, ensuring they are losing fat while preserving lean muscle mass.
Patients with Metabolic Health Concerns
For individuals managing complex metabolic conditions such as diabetes, PCOS, or lesser-known disorders like EDS, POTS and MCAS, DEXA scans can provide a more detailed breakdown of muscle mass, fat distribution and bone density. This information can give healthcare professionals the data they need to develop strategies to improve quality of life, especially for conditions that are often underdiagnosed or poorly managed.
Individuals Monitoring Bone Density
DEXA is the gold standard for assessing bone mineral density. It can help identify early signs of bone loss, track the effects of treatment, or monitor bone health over time, particularly in individuals at risk of osteoporosis, including post-menopausal women, older adults, those who do not meet their nutritional needs, people with chronic health conditions or those with a family history of low bone density.
What to Expect During Your Scan
A DEXA scan is quick, simple, and non-invasive.
No special preparation is needed for the scan, but we recommend wearing loose, comfortable clothing without any metal (such as zippers, underwire bras, or jewellery), as metal can interfere with the scan results. If needed, we provide gowns to ensure accurate readings. You can eat and drink normally before the scan, but we advise avoiding large meals or excessive fluid intake right before your appointment to ensure optimal results.
When you arrive, we’ll take basic measurements like your height and weight before positioning you on the DEXA scanner. The scan itself is completely painless and requires you to lie still on a comfortable bed while the scanner passes over your body for about 3 to 5 minutes. The process typically takes about 10 minutes, and you’ll be able to relax during the procedure.
If you have decided to also have a consultation, one of our specialist dietitians will sit down with you for the remainder of the consultation to explain the results in detail and discuss how they apply to your health goals. If you have been referred just for a scan or have opted not to have a consultation, then you will be provided the results either directly or they will be provided to your referring clinician.
Looking for a Complete Picture of Your Health?
If you’d like deeper insight into your metabolism, fluid status and nutritional health, we recommend our Total Body Nutrition Assessment (TBNA). This is our most comprehensive service, combining:
A DEXA Body Composition Scan
Metabolism Scan with substrate analysis
BI-Spectroscopy fluid and cellular health assessment
A detailed nutrition analysis, reviewed by our specialist dietitian
Everything is done in a single session, giving you clear, actionable information to support your long-term health goals.
How To Get Started
Located in Robina on the Gold Coast, our clinic offers in-person consultations and DEXA scans, with Telehealth options available for follow-up consultations. Whether you're looking to manage your metabolic health, track fitness progress, or monitor bone density, our team is here to guide you through the process with personalised care.
For our body composition scans, you can book a session directly online. For consultation, we accept Medicare care plans, private health insurance, DVA and NDIS.
Frequently Asked Questions
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DEXA = $95 (grip dynamommetry and report included)
*Referral from a Dietitian allows you to access a subsidised rate.
*bone densitometry (for assessment and tracking of osteopaenia/osteoporosis is a seperate service. This can be provided alongside body composition DEXA either privately or with a GP DEXA referral (if medicare criteria is met).
*note that we endeavour to keep our website up to date but fees are subject to change.
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Not on its own. That’s why we always recommend having a BI-Spec scan done at the same time. DEXA scans do not measure fluid levels in the body, which is one of their key limitations. This means important shifts in fluid—like dehydration or fluid retention—can be missed. At MNT Diagnostics, we often pair DEXA with BI-Spectroscopy to assess fluid balance and give a complete picture of your body composition. It’s a quick, painless addition that helps us better understand what’s really changing in your weight—whether it’s muscle, fat, bone or fluid.
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At MNT Diagnostics, we’ve invested in the world’s most advanced DEXA scanner — the InMed DEXA — offering exceptional accuracy with ultra-low radiation. While many other scanners on the Gold Coast expose you to around 3–7 mSv, ours uses just ~0.1 mSv, making it one of the safest options available.
Unlike standard machines that typically use a single detector and estimate body composition from limited data, our scanner uses a multi-detector array (five detectors). This allows us to image the full depth and density of your body — not just a flat snapshot. We can even detect fat stored inside muscle tissue (intramuscular fat), providing a more complete and precise view of your body composition to better guide your health and performance goals.
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Yes, DEXA uses a very low dose of radiation to capture highly detailed images of your body composition. MNT Diagnostics believes in going above and beyond for our patients, which is why we’ve invested in the safest and most accurate DEXA machine in the world that delivers exceptionally low radiation exposure. To put this in perspective, the amount of radiation exposure from a DEXA scan is:
Up to 70 times lower than a standard chest X-ray
Less than what you'd receive during a short domestic flight
Roughly less than a day of normal background radiation
At MNT Diagnostics, we’ve gone a step further by investing in a state-of-the-art DEXA machine designed to minimise exposure even more. It’s considered a very safe procedure for the general population.
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The actual scan takes just 5 to 10 minutes. The full appointment, including consultation and review of your results with a specialist dietitian, will be 30 minutes. This is if you have booked a WITH consultation option for your scan.
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No. A DEXA scan is performed while you lie flat on a padded table in a completely open room. There are no enclosed spaces, loud noises, or machinery surrounding your body. The process is simple and relaxed. The nutrition diagnostics specialist will remain with you and guide you comfortably throughout the entire process.
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Yes. These services are included in our Total Body Nutrition Assessment (TBNA), which combines:
DEXA body composition
Metabolic substrate analysis
BI-Spectroscopy fluid and cellular assessment
Nutritional review
The TBNA is the most comprehensive health assessment we offer, and all components are completed in a single visit.
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No. Fasting is not required for a standard DEXA scan.
However, if you're also undergoing a metabolism scan or TBNA, we recommend fasting for 4 hours prior to your appointment to ensure accurate results.
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No. Although the radiation level is very low, any radiation exposure during pregnancy is considered unsafe, and we do not perform DEXA scans on pregnant individuals.
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DEXA scans can be performed from 8 years and above, and we use a machine that is suitable for both adults and children. However, for paediatric patients, we only recommend scanning when it is clinically necessary. This decision is typically made in consultation with your referring healthcare provider or our clinical team. Scenarios where it is justified for a child to have a scan, is for weight management, growth concerns or inadequate nutrition such as fussy eating.
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That depends on your individual health goals or medical needs. Some people may benefit from repeat scans every 2 months to track changes in body composition or bone density, while others may only need one annually or less.
At MNT Diagnostics, we only recommend scans that are clinically relevant and likely to provide meaningful benefit—we will never suggest unnecessary testing.
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No referral is required to book a DEXA scan.
However, referrals may provide access to subsidised pricing in some cases:
A referral from an Accredited Practising Dietitian entitles you to reduced pricing on all our diagnostic scans. If you're seeing one of our in-house specialist dietitians, this will apply automatically.
A GP referral may allow you to claim a Medicare rebate for bone densitometry, but this is only available if you meet very specific Medicare eligibility criteria. This is specifically for assessing the bone density of your lower spine and femur/hip and does not include assessment of muscle and fat mass. If you are desiring a scan to assess body composition, you do not need a referral from a GP.
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You can book and pay privately without a referral. However, if you have osteopaenia or osteoporosis, you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate for a BMD DEXA scan when referred by your GP, so it is worth speaking with your GP before booking.
There are two types of DEXA scans. A body composition DEXA can provide a general whole-body bone density estimate, but this is mainly a screening tool. For monitoring osteopaenia or osteoporosis, the most accurate scan is a BMD DEXA of the hip and lumbar spine, which is the scan used to formally track bone density over time. We offer both scan types.
?want to know muscle/fat levels and don’t have osteoporosis? Get a normal DEXA scan.
?want to know muscle/fat levels but also want to track your osteopaenia/osteoporosis? Get a normal DEXA scan but also bring in a referral from your GP and we will do an additional scan on your hip and lower spine.