Radiation free bone density testing across Metro Vancouver using EchoLight REMS ultrasound technology. No referral required, and your results are ready the same day.
Advanced Bone Health Services holds bone density clinics across the Greater Vancouver area using Radiofrequency Echographic Multi Spectrometry, known as REMS. The scan measures bone mineral density using ultrasound rather than X-ray, so there is no ionising radiation at any point in the appointment.
Where our Metro Vancouver clinics are held
We do not currently hold clinics in the City of Vancouver itself. The Greater Vancouver area is served from three locations, each within easy reach of the city.
| Location | Address | Serves |
|---|---|---|
| Panda Clinic, Surrey | 10439 173 Street | Surrey, Delta, Langley, White Rock |
| UC Baby Richmond | 204 to 4800 Number 3 Road | Richmond, South Vancouver, Steveston |
| Diamond Wellness Institute, New Westminster | 301 East Columbia Street, Unit 207 | New Westminster, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Moody |
We also hold clinics in Victoria on Vancouver Island, at UC Baby Victoria, 1964 Fort Street.
Advanced Bone Health Services operates as a mobile clinic on a rotating national schedule rather than a permanent walk in facility. Clinic dates at each site are announced in advance and appointment slots are limited. Your confirmation email tells you which location your appointment is at, along with the suite, entrance and parking details.
Check the next available Metro Vancouver clinic dates and book your appointment
Why some British Columbians look for another route
Bone mineral density testing is covered by the Medical Services Plan in British Columbia, and for many people that route works well. There are three situations where people commonly look for an alternative.
You may not meet the criteria. An MSP insured bone density test is available to patients assessed as being at moderate or higher risk of fracture, and only where the result is likely to change treatment. If you are younger, or your risk factors are mild, you may not qualify even though you want to know where you stand.
The referral is a step in itself. A publicly funded scan requires a requisition from a family doctor or nurse practitioner, and referrals are triaged rather than automatically accepted. If you do not currently have a family doctor, that is a real obstacle before you even reach a waiting list.
Repeat scans are limited. For patients already on osteoporosis medication, a repeat scan is generally not considered medically necessary within three years of the previous one. If you have recently started or changed treatment and want to know whether it is working, three years is a long time to wait.
Because REMS uses ultrasound rather than X-ray, there is no radiation dose to accumulate, and no requisition is needed in most cases. That makes it a practical way to check in between, or to get a first reading if you do not currently meet MSP criteria.
We are not a replacement for MSP or for your physician. We encourage every patient to share their report with their own doctor.
Bone scan, bone density scan and DEXA are not the same test
These three terms get used interchangeably, which leads people to book the wrong thing.
| Test | What it involves | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear medicine bone scan | A radioactive tracer is injected, then images are taken. Used to investigate infection, injury or disease in the bone. | Around three hours |
| DEXA or DXA bone density scan | Low dose X-ray measures bone mineral density. The MSP insured option and the established reference standard. | 10 to 30 minutes |
| REMS bone density scan | Ultrasound signal analysis measures bone mineral density with no radiation, and also reports bone quality. | 20 to 30 minutes |
If you are searching for a bone scan in Vancouver because you are concerned about osteoporosis, the test you want is a bone density scan rather than a nuclear medicine bone scan.
How REMS compares with DEXA
| Feature | REMS ultrasound scan | Conventional DEXA scan |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Ultrasound, radiofrequency signal analysis | Dual energy X-ray |
| Radiation exposure | None | Low dose ionising radiation |
| Referral required | Not in most cases | Yes, a requisition is needed and referrals are triaged |
| Eligibility | Open to anyone who wants a reading | Moderate or higher fracture risk, where the result is likely to alter treatment |
| Results | Same day, emailed to you | Reported to the referring physician |
| Output | T score and Fragility Score | T score and Z score |
DEXA remains the long established reference standard for diagnosing osteoporosis, and it is the test MSP insures. REMS is intended as an accessible, radiation free way to understand and monitor your bone health alongside it.
What the scan involves
- Plan for 20 to 30 minutes at the clinic
- You remain fully clothed throughout
- No injection, no contrast agent, no enclosed scanner
- An ultrasound probe is passed over the lumbar spine and hip
- No radiation exposure
- Your report is emailed to you the same day
The report gives you a T score, the standard measure used to identify normal bone density, osteopenia and osteoporosis, alongside a Fragility Score reflecting the internal structure and quality of the bone rather than density alone. It is formatted so you can pass it straight to your family physician, rheumatologist or endocrinologist.
Who should consider a bone density scan
- Women who are postmenopausal or approaching menopause
- Adults aged 50 and over
- Anyone who has broken a bone from a minor fall
- A family history of osteoporosis or hip fracture
- Long term corticosteroid use, for example prednisone
- Thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, coeliac disease or kidney conditions
- Low body weight, or a history of smoking or high alcohol intake
- Anyone without a family doctor who cannot easily obtain a requisition
What a private bone density scan costs in Metro Vancouver
A single REMS scan is $175. If two scans are booked together, for example one for yourself and one for a partner or a parent, each scan is $150. The price is the same at all of our clinic locations.
That covers the appointment itself, the scan of your hip and lumbar spine, your fragility score, and the written report, which is emailed to you the same day. Current offers are listed on our promotions page.
The age question, which comes up less often
Most people are told about the fracture risk condition for an MSP insured scan, which is covered further up this page. Age is the part that catches people out.
The national clinical guideline, updated in 2023, is what most physicians follow when deciding whether to order the test at all. It recommends a baseline scan at 70 if you have no risk factors, at 65 if you have one risk factor, and between 50 and 64 only if you have had a previous fracture or have two or more clinical risk factors. The British Columbia guideline takes the same position below 65.
So a healthy woman in her early sixties who simply wants a baseline reading is not usually going to get one through the public route, however reasonable the request is.
That is one of several situations where people book privately:
- You are in your fifties or sixties, otherwise healthy, and want a baseline reading now rather than at 70
- You have started treatment and want to know whether it is working sooner than the public route allows
- You would rather not add further X-ray exposure after several previous scans
Waiting times for the funded test also vary by region, and in some areas an appointment can take a long time to come through.
Bone density test in Metro Vancouver without a referral
If you are looking for a bone density test without a referral, this is what we offer. A DEXA scan through the public system needs a requisition from a physician or nurse practitioner first. Our REMS scan does not. You book the appointment with us directly, as a private patient, and your report is emailed to you the same day.
The scanner we use
Our clinics use the EchoS system, which measures bone density with sound waves rather than X-rays. The device was cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration through its 510(k) route in 2018, and it is licensed by Health Canada as a Class II medical device under licence number 107617.
Your report sets out your bone density readings for the hip and lumbar spine along with a fragility score, in a form your physician can review. Treatment decisions stay with them.
Frequently asked questions about bone density scans in Metro Vancouver
Do you have a clinic in downtown Vancouver?
Not at present. Metro Vancouver is served by our clinics in Surrey, Richmond and New Westminster, all within reach of the city, and we also run clinics in Victoria on Vancouver Island.
Do I need a referral for a bone density scan?
No referral is required in most cases for a REMS scan with Advanced Bone Health Services. An MSP insured DEXA scan does require a requisition from a family doctor or nurse practitioner, and those referrals are triaged rather than automatically accepted.
Does MSP cover everyone for a bone density test?
No. An MSP insured bone density test is available to patients assessed as being at moderate or higher risk of fracture, and only where the result is likely to alter treatment. Patients who do not meet that threshold, or who want a reading sooner, often look for another route.
How soon can I have a repeat scan?
For patients on osteoporosis medication, a repeat MSP scan is generally not considered medically necessary within three years of the previous one. A REMS scan involves no radiation, so it is not limited by dose accumulation and can be used for monitoring in between, where your physician considers that appropriate.
Which of the three locations should I book?
Choose whichever is easiest to reach. Surrey suits Delta, Langley and White Rock. Richmond suits South Vancouver and Steveston. New Westminster suits Burnaby, Coquitlam and Port Moody. Clinic dates are scheduled separately at each site, so availability may differ.
Is a REMS bone scan safe?
The scan uses ultrasound and involves no ionising radiation. There is no dose to accumulate, which is what makes it suitable for repeat monitoring.
When will I get my results?
Your report is emailed to you the same day, rather than being sent only to a referring physician.
How often do the Metro Vancouver clinics run?
Advanced Bone Health Services operates a rotating national schedule and returns to the Lower Mainland periodically. Dates are announced in advance and slots are limited at each site, so early booking is recommended.
How much does a bone density scan cost in Metro Vancouver?
A single REMS scan is $175, or $150 per scan when two are booked together. The price is the same at all of our locations, and it includes the appointment, the scan, your fragility score and the written report the same day.
I am under 65. Can I get a publicly funded bone density scan in BC?
Not usually without clinical risk factors. The national guideline sets a baseline scan at 70 where there are no risk factors and 65 where there is one, and the British Columbia guideline takes the same position below 65. There is no age restriction on booking with us, which is why people who want an earlier reading often book privately.
How much does a DEXA scan cost in BC if I pay for it myself?
Prices vary between private providers. Our scan is $175 for a single appointment. REMS is a different method from DEXA, using sound waves rather than X-rays, and it does not need a requisition.
Book your Metro Vancouver bone density scan
Appointments at each clinic date are limited and usually fill quickly.
Book your bone density scan in Metro Vancouver
You may also want to read why early osteoporosis screening matters, how REMS technology works, or who needs a bone mineral density test. You can also view all our clinic locations across Canada.
Sources
MSP eligibility and repeat testing information on this page is taken from the published sources below. Coverage rules can change, so please confirm your own eligibility with your physician or nurse practitioner.