GeraClinic / Diagnostic Waiting Times Index / DEXA
DEXA scan (bone densitometry) β NHS waiting times (DM01)
A low-dose X-ray scan that measures bone mineral density.
How long are NHS DEXA diagnostic waits?
DEXA scan (bone densitometry) is one of the 15 key diagnostic tests in NHS England's DM01 collection. A low-dose X-ray scan that measures bone mineral density. Osteoporosis and fracture risk, often after a fragility fracture or before starting bone-protecting treatment. The operational standard is that fewer than 1% of patients should wait 6 weeks or more for a DM01 test β not met across diagnostics since November 2013. The current DEXA figure publishes here once it has been extracted from the DM01 file and verified.
What it diagnoses
Osteoporosis and fracture risk, often after a fragility fracture or before starting bone-protecting treatment.
Why the wait matters
A DEXA backlog delays osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment decisions in older adults, where a timely result changes fracture-prevention care.
DEXA DM01 waiting figure
Figure loads from the DM01 file
The per-test DEXA waiting figure (number and share waiting 6+ weeks) publishes here as soon as it has been extracted from the NHS England DM01 monthly file and checked against the source. Gera does not display a diagnostic number it has not verified β so no figure is shown until then.
Source file: NHS England DM01 "Monthly Diagnostics Web File" (provider-level CSV/Excel), e.g. Monthly-Diagnostics-Web-File-Provider-<MONTH>-<YEAR>.xls, from the Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity statistical work area.
How the index and the 6-week standard work (methodology) β
DEXA: FAQs
- What is DEXA and what does it diagnose?
- A low-dose X-ray scan that measures bone mineral density. Osteoporosis and fracture risk, often after a fragility fracture or before starting bone-protecting treatment.
- What is the NHS waiting-time standard for DEXA?
- DEXA scan (bone densitometry) is one of the 15 key diagnostic tests in NHS England's DM01 collection. The operational standard for all DM01 tests is that fewer than 1% of patients should wait 6 weeks or more β a standard not met across diagnostics as a whole since November 2013.
- Does a DEXA backlog affect other waits?
- A DEXA backlog delays osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment decisions in older adults, where a timely result changes fracture-prevention care.
- What is the current DEXA waiting figure?
- The per-test DEXA waiting figure publishes here as soon as it has been extracted from the NHS England DM01 monthly file and checked. Gera does not display a diagnostic number it has not verified against the source, so no figure is shown until then.
Waiting a long time for DEXA?
NHS DEXA waits can run well beyond the 6-week standard. Many people use a private online consultation to discuss symptoms, understand whether an investigation is appropriate, or get a referral while they wait. GeraClinic connects you with a UK-registered doctor by video β a private service, not part of or affiliated with the NHS. For a medical emergency always call 999 or go to A&E.
Other imaging tests
Source
This page draws on the real NHS England DM01 Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity release. Test descriptions are factual; any waiting figure shown is verified against the DM01 source, and figures not yet extracted are shown as such rather than estimated.
Contains public sector information published by NHS England and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS England β Monthly Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity (DM01) (January 2026, published March 2026).
Contains public sector information published by Gera Systems and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (source data). Source: Gera Diagnostic Waiting Times Index β derived from NHS England DM01 open data (January 2026, published 3 July 2026).