Scale GLP-1 obesity trials without losing DXA data. Credit via Shutterstock.
Global obesity trials are scaling fast with GLP‑1 therapies, making complete data capture essential to preserve scientific integrity and timelines. ICON implemented a pragmatic DXA strategy—modified hand positioning and a dual‑scan workflow with centralized review—that preserved full visceral fat datasets, preventing “silent attrition” from incomplete imaging.
Key takeaways
Up to 10–15% of participants can fall outside the standard DXA field‑of‑view, jeopardizing visceral fat calculations.
Two simple, scalable techniques (thumb‑up hand positioning and dual‑scan + centralized merge) enabled complete datasets across a 100‑site global network.
