Have you heard of a DEXA scan? It’s the long-standing “gold standard” for diagnosing osteopenia and osteoporosis. But what if that scan isn’t giving you the full picture of your bone strength?

In this episode of Say Yes! to Chocolate, Dr. Becky and Sara break down the key differences between the traditional DEXA scan and the newer REMS ultrasound technology—and why understanding both could change the way you think about bone health.

We cover:

✅ What a DEXA scan actually measures (and why it can miss hidden risks)

✅ How REMS technology goes beyond density to assess bone quality

✅ The biggest limitations of DEXA (including why your results may vary)

✅ How REMS can offer more real-time and detailed insights into bone health

✅ What your scans can and can’t tell you about fracture risk and real-world bone strength

The episode concludes with actionable tips for understanding bone scans and a teaser for the next episode focused on T-scores.

00:00 Introduction to Bone Scans

00:57 Understanding DEXA Scans

06:05 Limitations of DEXA Scans

10:24 Introducing REMS Technology

13:31 Comparing DEXA and REMS

16:40 Conclusion and Action Items

If you’ve ever felt confused—or even scared—by your T-score or your doctor’s advice, this episode will help you cut through the noise with science, clarity, and (of course) a sprinkle of humor.



• Common mistakes in the clinical use of bone mineral density testing - PMC
• Body composition with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry: from basics to new tools - PMC
• Technical and patient-related sources of error and artifacts in bone mineral densitometry using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry: A pictorial review - PMC
• DEXA and clinical challenges of fracture risk assessment in primary care

🎁 Free Resource: We created a one-page cheat sheet comparing DEXA and REMS so you’ll know exactly what each test measures, what it misses, and when to ask for it. Grab your copy Now!!

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