The patient radiation dose from a DXA examination depends on a number of parameters. The most important are the number of images, the size of the patient, the specific design of the device, beam filtration, the tube current (mA), the tube potential (kVp), the imaging speed and the imaging length and width. Most of these parameters cannot be controlled by the operator performing the DXA examination. However, it is important for the user to know that patient dose varies depending on the imaging mode for a specific examination (Fig. 1). Special attention to imaging protocols and radiation dose is needed when imaging children and adolescents. The use of a standardised and fixed clinical protocol designed for adults leads to unnecessary overexposure of children.