Reviewed 21 September 2026. Prices, specifications and regulatory references on this page were checked against manufacturer documentation and primary sources.
A DEXA scanner (bone densitometer) uses dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure bone mineral density, the standard test for diagnosing osteoporosis and assessing fracture risk.
DEXA machine cost ranges from roughly $18,000 for a refurbished peripheral unit to over $165,000 for a new full-body central system, depending on type, condition, and software.
Looking for the price of the scan itself? A DEXA scan costs a patient roughly $100 to $600 depending on where it is done, and Medicare covers it every 24 months for qualifying patients. See DEXA scan cost below »
A bone densitometer is one of the more accessible imaging investments, with strong demand from orthopedics, endocrinology, rheumatology, and women’s health. Whether you searched for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry cost, DEXA scan machine cost or the price of a bone density test, this guide answers both sides: what the machine costs a facility, by type, brand and condition, and what the scan costs a patient.
- In this guide: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry cost: the scan and the machine
- How much a DEXA scan costs, with and without insurance
- DEXA machine cost by type, new and refurbished
- DEXA price by brand: GE Lunar, Hologic and DMS
- Used DEXA machine cost and what to check
- How many scans pay for the machine
- Frequently asked questions
What Is a DEXA Scanner (Bone Densitometer)?
A DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scanner, sometimes written DXA, passes two low-dose X-ray beams through the body and measures how much each is absorbed by bone versus soft tissue. The result is a precise bone mineral density (BMD) reading used to diagnose osteoporosis, monitor treatment, and estimate fracture risk. Modern systems also measure body composition (fat, lean mass, and visceral fat).
Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry Cost: The Scan and the Machine
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, written DEXA or DXA, is both the name of the test and the name of the machine, so the phrase carries two very different prices. The scan is a low-cost test: without insurance a DEXA scan typically costs $100 to $200 at an imaging center or physician office and $200 to $600 at a hospital outpatient department, Medicare covers it every 24 months for qualifying patients, and Medicare pays the clinic about $40 per study. The machine is a capital purchase: a DEXA scanner costs $18,000 to $40,000 refurbished or $40,000 to $70,000 new for a peripheral unit, and $35,000 to $85,000 refurbished or $85,000 to $165,000 new for a central, full-body system, delivered, installed and warrantied.
The rest of this page takes each side in turn: the scan price by setting and insurance first, then the machine price by type, by brand and model, and used and refurbished, with the arithmetic that tells a clinic how many scans pay for the system.
What Is a DEXA Scan Used For?
- Osteoporosis diagnosis: measuring bone mineral density at the hip and spine
- Fracture risk assessment: identifying patients who need treatment
- Treatment monitoring: tracking bone density over time
- Body composition: fat, lean mass, and visceral fat analysis for sports medicine and wellness
How Much Does a DEXA Scan Cost?
How much do DEXA scans cost without insurance?
How much is a DEXA scan? Without insurance, a DEXA scan (bone density test) typically costs $100 to $200 at an independent imaging center or physician office, and $200 to $600 at a hospital outpatient department. Published price surveys put the national average cash price at about $175, with most quotes between $80 and $300. The same test on the same type of machine costs two to four times more in a hospital setting because hospital billing carries facility overhead that has nothing to do with bone density testing.
How much does a bone density scan cost with insurance?
With insurance, a bone density test is usually covered when it is ordered for a clinical reason: menopause-related risk, long-term steroid use, a prior fracture, or monitoring osteoporosis treatment. Medicare Part B covers a bone mass measurement once every 24 months, or more often when medically necessary, and the patient pays nothing when the provider accepts assignment. Commercial plans generally follow the same logic, with the plan’s usual deductible and copay applying. Body-composition DEXA for fitness or wellness is a self-pay service priced by the provider. Whether you search for the price of a DEXA scan, bone density test price, BMD test cost, DEXA test price or the cost of a bone density test, the answer depends far more on where the scan is done than on the machine itself.
| Where the scan is done | Typical cash price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Independent imaging center or physician office | $100 – $200 | The most common setting; cash-pay specials from about $75 |
| Hospital outpatient department | $200 – $600 | Facility fees raise the price of the same test |
| Medicare Part B, qualifying patient | $0 | Once every 24 months, provider accepting assignment |
| Medicare payment to the clinic (CPT 77080) | About $40 | 2026 national average under the Physician Fee Schedule |
That last row matters if you run a practice. Medicare pays roughly $40 for an axial DEXA study under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, while commercial payers and cash patients pay considerably more. The gap between a $175 cash price and a $40 Medicare rate is why a DEXA scanner is a volume business, and why the machine price has to be judged against the number of scans it will run, which the sections below cover. It also means a search for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry cost can mean two very different numbers: the cost of the scan for a patient, above, and the cost of the scanner for a clinic, below.
Types of DEXA Machines
Central / Full-Body DEXA
The clinical standard, measuring the hip, spine, and whole body. Used for osteoporosis diagnosis and body composition. Higher cost, larger footprint.
Peripheral DEXA (pDEXA)
Compact units that measure the forearm, heel, or finger. Lower cost and portable, ideal for screening in clinics and pharmacies.
How Much Does a DEXA Machine Cost?
DEXA machine cost, or DEXA scan machine cost if you search it that way (DXA scan machine and bone density scan machine mean the same equipment), is driven mainly by type (peripheral vs. central) and condition. Typical price ranges are:
The figures below are Medical Outfitters ranges for a system delivered, installed and warrantied. Headline prices published elsewhere are often for the equipment alone, before delivery, rigging, installation and current tariffs, so they read lower than a real all-in cost. Every Medical Outfitters system is quoted individually.
| DEXA Type | Refurbished | New |
|---|---|---|
| Peripheral DEXA (forearm / heel) | $18,000 – $40,000 | $40,000 – $70,000 |
| Central / full-body DEXA | $35,000 – $85,000 | $85,000 – $165,000 |
The same question arrives in many forms: DEXA scan machine cost, DEXA scanner cost, DEXA scanner price, DEXA machine price, bone density scanner cost, bone density machine cost, DXA machine cost, how much does a DEXA machine cost, how much is a DEXA scan machine, cost of a DEXA scan machine, DEXA scan equipment price. They all point at the table above. The one distinction that matters is central versus peripheral, because a hip-and-spine table and a forearm unit are different classes of purchase, and the second is condition. In dollars, most clinics adding bone density land in the refurbished central band, $35,000 to $85,000 delivered and installed.
What is the average cost of a DEXA machine?
Averages hide the class split. Across the systems we quote, a certified refurbished central DEXA at about $60,000 delivered and installed is the middle of the market and the system most clinics buy; a peripheral unit averages in the low tens of thousands refurbished; a new central system with body-composition software averages well above $100,000. An average DEXA price quoted without the system type and the condition is not a usable number.
What moves the price of a DEXA scanner
- Central vs. peripheral: a central table that scans hip, spine and whole body costs several times more than a forearm or heel unit
- Beam and detector type: fan-beam systems scan faster and cost more than pencil-beam units; pencil-beam remains accurate and is common in refurbished inventory
- Software modules: body composition, vertebral fracture assessment and trabecular bone score are licensed options that add to the price
- Condition and warranty: new with a manufacturer warranty at the top, certified refurbished with a dealer warranty in the middle, as-is used at the bottom
- Delivery, installation and training: included in Medical Outfitters pricing, and often excluded from headline prices published elsewhere
A certified refurbished DEXA scanner typically saves 40–60% versus new while delivering comparable accuracy. Browse DEXA bone density machines for sale »
DEXA Machine Price by Brand: GE Lunar, Hologic and DMS
Brand moves a DEXA quote less than system type and condition do; a refurbished GE Lunar Prodigy and a refurbished Hologic Discovery sit in the same $35,000 to $85,000 central band. What separates two quotes is the generation, the software modules licensed, the detector design and how the unit was refurbished.
GE Lunar DEXA price: DPX, Prodigy and iDXA
The DPX series is the older entry point on the used market. The Prodigy is the most common refurbished central DEXA in circulation, with a deep parts and service base, and it anchors the refurbished central band. The iDXA is the premium platform with advanced body composition and fracture-assessment tools; a refurbished GE Lunar iDXA price sits toward the top of the $35,000 to $85,000 central band, and it is the system to specify when body composition is the business, not an add-on. Refurbished GE Lunar systems are sourced, inspected and installed on request.
Hologic DEXA price: Discovery and Horizon
The Discovery A, W and C are the previous generation and the workhorses of the refurbished market; the Horizon A, W and C are the current generation, with advanced body composition and atypical femur fracture assessment. A refurbished Hologic Discovery sits in the central band alongside the Prodigy; a Horizon, being newer, sits toward the top of it. Refurbished Hologic systems are sourced, inspected and installed on request.
DMS Imaging DEXA price: Stratos, Stratos DR and Stratos C (sold new)
Our new-equipment range. The Stratos is a central fan-beam bone densitometer, the Stratos DR adds body composition for sports medicine and wellness work, and the compact pencil-beam Stratos C fits a small room and a screening workload. New DMS pricing follows the new column of the table: $85,000 to $165,000 for a central system and $40,000 to $70,000 for a compact unit, delivered, installed and warrantied. The ClariOsteo software flags low bone density on routine CT scans and is a screening complement, not a densitometer.
How Many DEXA Scans Pay for the Machine?
How much is a DEXA scanner, really? The practical way to read DEXA scanner machine cost is in scans, not dollars. Take a certified refurbished central DEXA at $60,000 delivered and installed, the middle of our refurbished range. At Medicare’s roughly $40 per study, the equipment cost is recovered after about 1,500 scans. With a payer mix that averages $80 per scan, it takes about 750. Technologist time, quality-control phantoms, service and floor space sit on top of that, so read the table as the equipment line only.
| Scans per week | Months to recover $60,000 at $40 per scan | Months to recover $60,000 at $80 per scan |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | About 35 | About 17 |
| 20 | About 17 | About 9 |
| 40 | About 9 | About 4 |
| 60 | About 6 | About 3 |
Two things follow. First, a refurbished DEXA at $35,000 to $85,000 usually pays back faster than the headline machine price suggests, because bone density has steady referral demand from orthopedics, endocrinology, rheumatology, OB/GYN and primary care. Second, the same arithmetic explains why a $165,000 new central system is a hospital or high-volume imaging center purchase, and why a peripheral unit at $18,000 to $40,000 is the entry point for a clinic or pharmacy that mainly screens. Send us your expected volume and payer mix and we will run the numbers on a specific system.
DEXA Scanners We Carry
Medical Outfitters carries new and refurbished bone densitometers:
- DMS Imaging Stratos: the Stratos bone densitometer, the Stratos DR for central bone density and body composition, and the compact pencil-beam Stratos C
You may also encounter GE Lunar and Hologic bone densitometers on the used market. Our team can help you source and compare these systems as well. Tell us what you are looking for »
New vs. Refurbished DEXA Machines
A new DEXA offers the latest software, body-composition features, and a full manufacturer warranty. A certified refurbished DEXA delivers the same diagnostic accuracy for far less, fully inspected and warrantied. Because DEXA technology is mature and stable, refurbished systems are an especially strong value and a popular way for clinics to add bone-density testing. Refurbished typically saves 40 to 60 percent versus new. The words on the quote matter as much as the number:
- As-is used: the lowest price; the unit is tested as it stands, the software licenses are whatever transferred, and the buyer arranges calibration and service. It suits a site with a service arrangement already in place
- Cosmetic refurbishment: cleaned and repainted with a new table pad; the detector, the X-ray source and the calibration have not been re-verified. Ask what was done; if the answer is covers and paint, price it as a used system
- Certified refurbished (MO Select): detector and X-ray source verified, calibration checked against a phantom, software confirmed and licensed, worn parts replaced, delivered, installed and warrantied in writing. This is what the refurbished column of the price table describes
Refurbished versus OEM certified are not the same thing; ask who did the work and what the warranty covers.
Used DEXA Machine Cost and What to Check
How much does a used DEXA machine cost?
A used DEXA price depends on the generation, the software modules that transfer, the calibration history and, on fan-beam central systems, the condition of the X-ray source and detector, more than on the year. A certified refurbished central DEXA runs $35,000 to $85,000 delivered and installed, 40 to 60 percent below new; a refurbished peripheral unit $18,000 to $40,000. As-is used systems sit below those bands for buyers with their own service arrangement.
What to check before buying a used DEXA
- Phantom QC history: the daily or weekly spine-phantom scans are the machine’s diary; a gap in them is a gap in what you know about the detector
- Software and licenses: body composition, vertebral fracture assessment and trabecular bone score are licensed modules; confirm in writing which transfer with the system
- Generation and support status: whether the manufacturer still supports the software and supplies parts matters more than the model year
- X-ray source and detector: on fan-beam central systems ask for the service history of both; on pencil-beam units the mechanics of the scanning arm
- Table, capacity and accessories: table weight rating, positioning aids, the calibration phantom and the workstation should all be on the quote
- Delivery, installation and training: included in a Medical Outfitters quote; often missing from a headline used price
Used and refurbished DEXA machines for sale
Current stock, including refurbished GE Lunar and Hologic systems sourced on request and the new DMS Stratos line, is on our DEXA machines for sale page. If you are replacing a densitometer rather than adding one, the unit you retire may be worth something against the new one; we buy used imaging equipment.
DEXA Installation and Requirements
DEXA scanners use very low radiation, so siting is simpler than CT or MRI, but you still need adequate space, a level floor, and trained technologists. A central table needs room for the gantry arm to travel and for the technologist to position the patient; a peripheral unit sits on a bench or cart. Most states register a bone densitometer as an X-ray device and may ask for a shielding evaluation, which the low dose usually satisfies in a standard room; the physicist’s report, technologist training and the daily phantom QC routine are the compliance lines to budget. Medical Outfitters handles delivery, installation, and operator guidance. Learn about delivery and logistics »
DEXA Service and Maintenance
DEXA systems need periodic calibration and quality-control phantom scans to keep readings accurate and compliant. Medical Outfitters provides service, repair, and parts. Learn about our service and repair options »
How to Choose the Right DEXA Machine
Match the system to your specialty, patient volume, and whether you need body composition. Key takeaways:
- Peripheral DEXA for low-cost screening in clinics and pharmacies
- Central / full-body DEXA for osteoporosis diagnosis and body composition
- Refurbished for 40–60% savings with comparable accuracy
- Confirm software includes the body-composition modules you need
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does a DEXA machine cost?
- A DEXA machine costs about $18,000 for a refurbished peripheral unit and up to $165,000 or more for a new full-body central system. A refurbished central DEXA typically runs $35,000 to $85,000.
- What is a DEXA scan?
- A DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan measures bone mineral density using two low-dose X-ray beams, and is the standard test for diagnosing osteoporosis and assessing fracture risk.
- What is the difference between peripheral and central DEXA?
- Central DEXA measures the hip, spine, and whole body for osteoporosis diagnosis and body composition, while peripheral DEXA measures the forearm or heel for lower-cost screening.
- Is a refurbished DEXA machine worth it?
- Yes. DEXA technology is mature and stable, so a certified refurbished system delivers the same accuracy for 40 to 60 percent less than new, provided it is inspected and warrantied.
- What is a DEXA scan used for?
- A DEXA scan is used to diagnose osteoporosis, assess fracture risk, monitor bone-density treatment, and measure body composition such as fat and lean mass.
- How much does a DEXA scan cost?
- A DEXA scan typically costs $100 to $200 without insurance at an imaging center or physician office and $200 to $600 at a hospital outpatient department, with a national average cash price of about $175. Medicare Part B covers the test once every 24 months for qualifying patients at no cost when the provider accepts assignment.
- Does Medicare cover a DEXA scan?
- Yes. Medicare Part B covers a bone mass measurement once every 24 months, or more often when medically necessary, for patients who meet its criteria, such as estrogen-deficient women at risk of osteoporosis, patients on long-term steroid therapy, or patients being monitored on osteoporosis treatment. The patient pays nothing when the provider accepts assignment.
- Is a bone density test the same as a DEXA scan?
- Yes. A bone density test, BMD test and DEXA or DXA scan are the same examination: dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the hip and spine, or of the forearm or heel on a peripheral unit.
- How many DEXA scans does it take to pay for the machine?
- As a rule of thumb, a $60,000 refurbished central DEXA is recovered after about 1,500 scans at Medicare’s roughly $40 per study, or about 750 scans with a payer mix averaging $80. At 20 scans a week that is roughly 17 months at Medicare rates and 9 months at the blended rate, before technologist time, service and space.
- How much does a DEXA scan machine cost?
- A DEXA scan machine costs $18,000 to $40,000 refurbished or $40,000 to $70,000 new for a peripheral forearm or heel unit, and $35,000 to $85,000 refurbished or $85,000 to $165,000 new for a central, full-body system, delivered, installed and warrantied. A refurbished central DEXA at about $60,000 is the middle of the market.
- What does dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry cost?
- It depends which price you mean. The scan costs a patient about $100 to $200 at an imaging center and $200 to $600 at a hospital outpatient department, with Medicare covering it every 24 months and paying the clinic about $40. The machine costs a facility $18,000 to $165,000 depending on type and condition.
- What is the price of a DEXA scanner?
- By type and condition: peripheral $18,000 to $40,000 refurbished and $40,000 to $70,000 new; central $35,000 to $85,000 refurbished and $85,000 to $165,000 new. Software modules such as body composition, the table and the calibration phantom should be listed on the quote.
- How much does a GE Lunar iDXA cost?
- A refurbished GE Lunar iDXA sits toward the top of the $35,000 to $85,000 central-DEXA band because it is the premium platform with advanced body composition and fracture-assessment tools; the Prodigy anchors the middle of the same band. Both are sourced, inspected and installed on request.
- How much does a Hologic Horizon or Discovery cost?
- A refurbished Hologic Discovery sits in the $35,000 to $85,000 central band alongside the GE Prodigy; a Horizon, the current generation, sits toward the top of it. Both are sourced, inspected and installed on request with a written warranty on MO Select rebuilds.
- How much does a used DEXA machine cost?
- A certified refurbished central DEXA runs $35,000 to $85,000 and a refurbished peripheral unit $18,000 to $40,000, delivered and installed. As-is used systems sit below those bands. Check the phantom QC history, which software licenses transfer and whether the platform is still supported before you buy.
- Where can I buy a used or refurbished DEXA machine?
- Medical Outfitters sells the DMS Stratos line new and sources refurbished GE Lunar and Hologic bone densitometers on request, inspected, calibrated, delivered and installed with a written warranty. Current stock is on our DEXA machines for sale page, and we buy and trade in used systems.
- How much is a bone density machine?
- The same as a DEXA machine, because a bone density machine, bone densitometer and DEXA or DXA scanner are the same equipment: $18,000 to $70,000 for a peripheral unit and $35,000 to $165,000 for a central system depending on condition.
- What is the average cost of a DEXA scan?
- About $100 to $200 at an independent imaging center or physician office and $200 to $600 at a hospital outpatient department without insurance, with cash-pay specials from about $75. Medicare covers a qualifying patient’s scan every 24 months and pays the clinic about $40 per study under the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule.
- How much does a DEXA machine cost to run?
- The lines after the purchase are small by imaging standards: a service contract, the daily or weekly phantom QC, the technologist’s time and a low power draw. There is no contrast, no cryogen and no tube-replacement event on the scale of a CT, which is why a DEXA pays back on modest volume.
Medical Outfitters sells new Fujifilm and Esaote systems as an authorized dealer and certified refurbished GE and Siemens systems through MO Select, with delivery and installation included in every quote. Browse DEXA machines for sale, browse CT scanners for sale, browse used and refurbished MRI machines for sale and browse X-ray machines for sale; every listing shows the model, year basis, condition and availability with a quote form.
From peripheral screening units to full-body central systems, Medical Outfitters helps you spec, buy, or lease the right bone densitometer, new or refurbished. Serving the US, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean.
