Skip to main content

Glossary term

DEXA Scan

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, usually used to estimate areal bone mineral density; it is not a universal limb-lengthening eligibility test.

Updated 3 aliases2 sourcesUsed across articles and safety pages

Definition

DXA or DEXA uses two X-ray energy levels to estimate areal bone mineral density, commonly at the hip and spine. In limb-lengthening planning it may be ordered when history or risk factors raise concern about bone health. Older studies also used DXA to follow regenerate during external fixation, but their thresholds are not universal pre-operative or removal rules for modern internal nails. [1][2]

Aliases

DXA, bone density scan, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

Updated

Sources

Informational only. Not medical advice.

Back to glossary index