DEXA Scan Cost in San Diego

A single body-composition DEXA scan in San Diego ranges from about $45 (BodySpec mobile vans, advertised as low as $39) to roughly $210 (Fitnescity at the UC San Diego site in La Jolla), with dedicated studios such as DexaFit San Diego in the $119-$179 range. Multi-scan packages lower the per-scan price — Fitnescity drops to about $185-$200 per scan in its 2-4 scan bundles, and BodySpec memberships reach roughly $40 per scan. These are advertised estimates that change; confirm current pricing directly with the clinic.

On a per-scan basis, BodySpec advertises the lowest entry price in San Diego, as low as $39, with mobile vans that rotate through Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Hillcrest, and Downtown, plus North County stops in Carlsbad and Oceanside. Memberships and packages can bring the effective price near $40 per scan. Cheapest is not always best — also weigh location, equipment, and whether you want add-on testing like RMR or VO2 max. Verify current pricing with each provider before booking.

A DEXA scan ordered for bone-density screening can be covered — Medicare Part B covers a bone-mass measurement once every 24 months for people who qualify, and many commercial plans cover osteoporosis screening. A DEXA scan for body composition (body fat and lean mass) is generally treated as elective and paid out of pocket. The cash prices on this page are body-composition scans, which are usually HSA/FSA-eligible. Confirm coverage with your insurer and the clinic.

A full-body composition DEXA scan delivers roughly 4-5 microsieverts (µSv) of radiation, per BodySpec’s published figures. For context, the U.S. average background dose is about 8-10 µSv per day, and a chest X-ray is roughly 20 µSv. The dose is low, but it is still ionizing radiation — discuss frequency with a clinician if you are pregnant or scan often. This is information, not medical advice.

The San Diego spread is roughly 4-5x from the cheapest van scan to the most expensive studio booking, and the gap is mostly business model, not measurement quality. Mobile vans like BodySpec carry no storefront rent and run high volume, so they price near $45. Fixed studios and university-affiliated sites add staffing, consultation, and bundled tests (RMR, VO2 max), which pushes the scan toward $119-$210. The DEXA hardware is comparable across providers — confirm what is included with each clinic.

A DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan measures body fat, lean (muscle) mass, and bone density, and breaks those down by region — arms, legs, and trunk — plus a visceral-fat estimate. UCSF notes DXA is highly accurate compared with most other body-composition methods and tells a clearer story than BMI; in one UCSF figure, 18.5% of women with a normal BMI had excess fat visible on DXA.