Your scan details and fees

Preparing for your scan

Do not have any medical imaging (e.g. CT) which requires oral contrast, within a week before your Bone Density appointment.

Do not have any medical imaging (e.g. CT) which requires intravenous contrast, within a day before your Bone Density appointment.

Contrast agents interfere with the results and could require postponing your appointment.

(MRI contrast, gadolinium, does not interfere with bone density scans).

Wear loose clothing.  In most cases you will not need to undress.

Avoid wearing clothes which have metal parts which can not be easily removed (e.g. zippers, hooks, buttons, etc).

Disposable gown are available if if you do have to remove any clothes.

Avoid taking calcium supplements for 24 hours prior to your scan.

Please bring the results of any previous bone density tests performed elsewhere, to allow us to compare your results.

The scanner at Chatswood has a weight limit of 145kg.  Patients over this weight can be scanned at our St Vincent's Clinic practice.

Your Scan Procedure

A bone density scan uses very low dose X-rays and does not require any injections.  It is completely safe and painless.

Patients lie on a flat bed and do not enter a scanning tube.

Once positioned appropriately, a scanning arm will firstly scan the spine, followed by both hips.  These take less than 5 minutes.

For body composition a whole body scan is performed which takes less than 10 minutes.

Bulk Billing

We endeavour to keep our fees as low as possible.  We are only able to bulk bill in specific circumstances:

- All patients 70 years and over are bulk billed.

- Pensioners under 70 years, with a Commonwealth PCC or DVA Gold Card and a Medicare item number, are also bulk billed.

For Pensioners under 70 years where we are unable to bulk bill (e.g. no Medicare item number), a reduced fee of $65 is charged.

For Commonwealth Health Care Card holders under 70 years, where we are unable to bulk bill, a fee of $75 is charged.

Current Fees (as of July 2025)

• Bone Densitometry of the lumbar spine and both hips and +/- forearm (radius)  -  $155

• Body Composition (including % fat and % lean tissue)  -  $100

• Lateral Vertebral Assessment (LVA) when done in combination with a lumbar spine and both hip scan  -  $35

• Bone Densitometry of the lumbar spine, both hips and body composition  -  $180

Find out more about Body Composition.

Medicare

The Medicare rebate for referred bone density scans is currently $101.55 (as of 1 July 2025).

At present, Medicare does not reimburse for body composition scans only.

Some private health funds may reimburse - Please check with your fund.

Your eligibility for a Medicare rebate will be determined at your appointment according to Medicare criteria. 

Find our more about Medicare criteria for bone densitometry.

Online Processing of Claims

Medicare rebates can be processed via Medicare online, at the time of your appointment, and automatically paid to your account.

Alternatively, rebates can be processed via Medicare Easyclaim, if you have a Debit or Credit card linked to a cheque/savings account.

Patients without a suitable Debit or Credit card at the time of their appointment, are able to claim Medicare rebates themselves online or at a Medicare office.

Results

The scan images and report will be sent to your referring doctor.  Please note that we are not able to discuss the results directly with you.  Your doctor or fitness trainer (for body composition) can interpret the results to you.