Clinical-Grade DEXA Scans
Serving La Quinta, CA
Why Desert Dexa? All DEXA scans aren't the same.
Fixed-Site Facility
Our DEXA scanners are in permanent clinical settings — we don't scan in vans. A stable, properly calibrated machine means more reliable results, especially when tracking changes over time.
Full-Service DEXA Provider
We offer both body composition analysis and osteoporosis screening scans — most providers only offer one or the other. Our osteoporosis screenings include interpretation by an independent board-certified radiologist.
Reports You Can Actually Use
Our reports aren't just a table of numbers — they're designed to be readable, with context and explanations built in. Trusted by professional sports teams and active clinical research trials.
Having Desert Dexa's data in our toolkit allows us to personalize training and nutrition like never before. We're able to see if muscle mass is developing symmetrically, reduce injury risk, and keep every athlete aligned with their performance targets.
Our DEXA Scans
Two scans, and a Combo that covers both. Pick the one that answers your question, or take the Combo for the whole picture. Learn more about body composition analysis or osteoporosis screening.
See a full DEXA scan comparison and pricing, or go straight to the booking page for package and membership options.
Total Body
Body Composition10+ pages of medical-grade insights on your body composition including:
- Overall and regional fat and muscle measurements
- Visceral fat measurement
- Muscle symmetry (left vs. right)
- Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)
- Appendicular Lean Mass Index (ALMI)
Total body bone mineral density plus T-score and Z-score
Regional BMD readings for: arms, ribs, legs, spine, trunk, and pelvis
And much more.
Osteoporosis Screening
Axial ScanTargeted bone density screening of the areas most vulnerable to osteoporosis
- T-score, Z-score and BMD for each hip (left and right femur) and the spine
- Track bone density changes over time to measure treatment effectiveness
- Results can be shared directly with your physician for treatment planning
Combo
Best ValueEverything in Total Body and Osteoporosis Screening combined:
- 10+ pages of body composition insights
- Total body and regional bone density metrics
- T-score, Z-score, and BMD for hips and spine
- The most complete DEXA report available
Body Composition Analysis Near La Quinta
A DEXA body composition scan — often called a full body DEXA scan — separates your weight into fat, lean tissue and bone, then reports each of them by region instead of as one blended number. It takes about 15 minutes. Learn how DEXA scans work.
True Body Fat Percentage
A clinical measurement of what your body is actually made of — not an estimate from a gym scale. Training in La Quinta or working with a nutritionist? DEXA gives you the actual numbers to work with.
Regional Breakdown
Fat and muscle mapped across your arms, legs, and trunk. See exactly which areas are responding to your program and which aren't.
Visceral Fat Score
Measures the fat around your organs that drives metabolic disease. You can't see it or measure it on a scale. Included with every body composition scan at no add-on cost.
Consistent Results Over Time
Our fixed-site clinical scanner stays in the same controlled environment every scan. Results are actually comparable month to month, so you can track real changes over time.
Your detailed report gives you a clear sense of what's actually going on in your body.
Book Your Total Body ScanA DEXA scan is a game changer for anyone serious about fitness, offering precise metrics that can guide nutrition and exercise strategies.
By providing detailed insights into fat and muscle distribution, DEXA scans help tailor fitness and nutritional programs to individual needs.
Bone Density Screening Near La Quinta
A DEXA bone density scan takes 15 minutes and gives you a T-score, a Z-score, and a clear answer about where your bone health stands.
Get Your Baseline
Most people never think about their bone density until a fracture forces the issue. By then, significant damage has already been done. A scan now tells you where you stand while there's still time to act.
Screening is recommended for women over 65, men over 70, and anyone over 50 with risk factors. No referral required — just book and come in.
Book Your Osteoporosis Screening ScanThe gold standard for assessing bone health is DEXA. This important test can warn you before you break a bone.
It cannot be emphasized enough that broken bones due to osteoporosis are not just painful, they are all too often a cause of life-changing disability and loss of independence.
Where is the closest DEXA scan to La Quinta?
Desert Dexa is at 69848 Highway 111 Suite 7 in Rancho Mirage — about 15 minutes west of La Quinta on Highway 111. Turn right into the office complex just after the Desert Braemar community entrance (it is easy to miss). Turn right again to park directly in front of our building.
How do I get to Desert Dexa from La Quinta?
From La Quinta, take Highway 111 west toward Rancho Mirage — about 15 minutes. Turn right from Highway 111 into the office complex just after the Desert Braemar community entrance (it is easy to miss). Turn right again to park directly in front of our building. You can also take the I-10 west to the Bob Hope Drive exit and head south to Highway 111.
Getting a DEXA Scan from La Quinta
A DEXA body composition scan gives you a 10+ page report with your body fat percentage, lean muscle by region, visceral fat score, and left-right muscle symmetry. If you work with a trainer, nutritionist, or physician, it gives them clinical-grade data instead of a rough estimate from a smart scale.
La Quinta has a large seasonal and permanent retiree population. For residents over 50, bone density screening is one of the most important preventive steps available. Bone loss causes no pain or symptoms until something breaks. A 15-minute scan gives you T-scores and Z-scores with an independent radiologist interpretation you can share with your doctor back home or here in the valley.
Nationally, about one in five women over 50 has osteoporosis, and more than half have some degree of bone loss. In a community like La Quinta where a significant portion of the population is over 60, that’s not an abstract number — it’s neighbors, golf partners, and family.
The whole process is simple — book online, drive 15 minutes. Cash-pay, no referral, no insurance.
We serve clients across the Coachella Valley.
We also offer DEXA scans near Indian Wells, Indio, Bermuda Dunes, Palm Desert, Coachella, Thousand Palms, Desert Hot Springs, and Banning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to prepare before my DEXA scan?
No preparation is needed for a scan at Desert Dexa. Eat, drink and take your medications normally — DEXA is not affected by a recent meal or your hydration the way bioimpedance devices are. The one thing that matters is clothing without metal: zippers, underwire and belt buckles sit in the scan field.
What is a DEXA scan?
A DEXA (or DXA) scan uses two low-dose x-ray energies to separate your body into fat, lean tissue and bone. That separation is why it can report each arm and each leg individually rather than one whole-body figure. Desert Dexa runs clinical-grade DEXA scanners at our Rancho Mirage, San Dimas, and Temecula locations in Southern California, for body composition and for bone density.
How long does the DEXA scan take?
About 15 minutes on the table at any Desert Dexa location, or roughly 20 for the Combo. You lie still, fully clothed, while the scanner arm passes over you — nothing touches you and nothing is injected. A technician reviews your Total Body results with you at the end of the visit; the Osteoporosis Screening report is written by a radiologist and follows within about 3 days.
How much does a DEXA scan cost?
At Desert Dexa, the Total Body (body composition) scan starts at $50, the Osteoporosis Screening scan starts at $80, and the Combo, which includes both, starts at $100. Monthly and quarterly options are available for each. We are cash-pay and accept credit and debit cards, so the price you book at is the price you pay — no facility fee and no separate radiology bill.
Do I need a doctor's referral for a DEXA scan?
No. You book online and come in, including for the osteoporosis screening scan. Most providers make you obtain a physician order first; our own physician orders the scan, so there is nothing for you to chase and no insurance pre-authorization to wait on. The report is written so you can hand it straight to your own physician afterwards.
Is a DEXA scan safe?
Yes. A DEXA scan uses an extremely low dose of x-ray radiation, comparable to what you would receive from eating three bananas, and it is considered very safe for most people. Desert Dexa does not scan anyone who is pregnant or may be pregnant, or who has had a contrast or nuclear medicine study in the past seven days.
What should I wear to my DEXA scan?
Comfortable clothing with no metal on it. Metal — zippers, buttons, underwire — sits in the scan field and can affect accuracy, so activewear such as leggings and a plain T-shirt is ideal, and a sports bra is preferable for women. You stay fully clothed throughout the scan at Desert Dexa.
How often should I get a DEXA scan?
For body composition, many Desert Dexa clients scan every month to see how training and nutrition are moving fat and lean mass, which is why we offer monthly and quarterly options alongside one-time scans. For bone density, follow-up timing is a clinical decision your physician makes from your first T-score and your risk factors.
Do you accept insurance for DEXA scans?
No. Desert Dexa is cash-pay and accepts credit and debit cards only. That is what keeps the price flat and the wait short — there is nothing to authorize and no claim to file. Many clients find it costs less than what a copay or deductible would have taken.
Why choose DEXA over other body composition methods?
Bioimpedance scales and handheld analyzers pass a current through you and infer the rest, which is why the reading moves when you drink water. DEXA images tissue directly. Desert Dexa uses clinical-grade DEXA and reports regional and total body fat, lean mass by limb and bone density from one 15-minute scan — measurements a scale, calipers or a gym analyzer cannot produce.
Do DEXA scans measure visceral fat?
Yes, and every Desert Dexa Total Body scan reports it as its own value rather than an add-on. Visceral fat sits around your organs rather than under your skin, so neither a scale nor a mirror gives any read on it, and it tracks with metabolic risk more closely than total weight does.
Why should I get a bone density scan?
Bone loss is silent — most people have no idea where they stand until a fracture proves it. A Desert Dexa osteoporosis screening scan measures your hips and spine and returns a T-score, a Z-score and BMD for each site, with a radiologist's final interpretation you can take to your doctor.
What happens during a DEXA scan at Desert Dexa?
You stay fully clothed and lie still on a padded table while the scanner arm passes over you. Nothing touches you, nothing is injected, and there is no tunnel or enclosure. It takes about 15 minutes for a single scan and roughly 20 for the Combo. A Desert Dexa technician positions you at the start and reviews your Total Body results with you at the end.
When will I get my DEXA scan results?
Your Total Body (body composition) results are reviewed with you at the end of your visit at Desert Dexa — you do not go home waiting on them. The Osteoporosis Screening report is different: it is written by an independent board-certified radiologist and reaches you within about 3 days.
What is on a Desert Dexa Total Body (body composition) report?
More than 10 pages. Fat and lean mass overall and by region, muscle symmetry comparing your left side against your right, and visceral fat as its own value. Then resting metabolic rate derived from your measured lean mass, and Appendicular Lean Mass Index. It also reports total body bone mineral density with a T-score and Z-score, plus regional readings for arms, ribs, legs, spine, trunk and pelvis. It also includes a guide to interpreting your own results.
Can I share my DEXA results with my doctor?
Yes — both reports are yours to share. The Desert Dexa Osteoporosis Screening report is written by the radiologist and designed to hand off to your physician, with T-score, Z-score and BMD for each femur and the spine, and osteoporosis or osteopenia indications where they apply. The Total Body (body composition) report can be shared the same way.
Does it matter where I get my DEXA scan?
Yes. DEXA accuracy depends on calibration and a stable scanning environment. Desert Dexa's scanners are fixed-site clinical systems in permanent rooms — not mobile units transported in vans and re-levelled in a parking lot — which is what makes your second scan genuinely comparable to your first. We also offer both body composition analysis and clinical osteoporosis screening with independent radiologist interpretation; most providers offer one or the other.
How far is Desert Dexa from La Quinta?
Our Rancho Mirage location is about 15-20 minutes northwest on Highway 111. Take Washington Street north to Highway 111 and head west. Free parking on-site.
Our Rancho Mirage Location
Proudly serving clients from Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Cathedral City, Indio, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, and more.
We also have locations in San Dimas, serving the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire, and Temecula, serving the Temecula Valley and southwest Riverside County.
Ready to See Your Numbers?
Book a DEXA scan at our Rancho Mirage, San Dimas, or Temecula location. No referral needed.
Want to learn more? Read our articles on body composition and bone health.