A diagnostic sleep study or polysomnography (PSG) is a non-invasive test used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and other types of sleep disorders. Patients who undergo a sleep study will be required to be fitted with a number of sensors. These sensors are usually taped to your head and scalp to measure your brain waves during sleep. Other sensors are also fitted on your finger tip, chest wall, abdomen and nose to record your breathing pattern, heart rate and oxygen levels. The test will be performed overnight while you sleep and is completed by the following morning.
In general, there are two major types of diagnostic sleep tests; in-laboratory sleep studies and home sleep studies. In-laboratory sleep studies are performed in dedicated sleep laboratories, often located within a hospital (such as both Westmead public and private hospitals). These studies require you to stay overnight in the hospital and are usually considered to provide the most accurate results. There will be a trained sleep technician monitoring the entire study and will rectify any problems that may occur.
A home sleep study is simpler and can be performed in the comfort of your own bed and home environment. You will be required to attend the clinic to pick up the home study equipment on the chosen day of your test, during which time, you will be taught on how to prepare the equipment. You will sleep that night with the equipment attached to you and the equipment can be removed and returned the following day.
Results from a home sleep study are usually considered as accurate as an in-laboratory study, especially when the suspicion of having a sleep disorder is high before the study. It has been endorsed by the Australasian Sleep Association to diagnose or rule out obstructive sleep apnoea. However, there are certain sleep disorders that cannot be properly diagnosed with a home sleep study. These included but are not limited to:
A home sleep study may not be suitable in all situations and there are many factors that could affect the quality of the study such as:
Either you or your GP can help complete a few questionnaires based on your symptoms (STOP-BANG or OSA-50 or Berlin Questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale) to determine if you are eligible for a home sleep study here at the Sydney West Respiratory and Sleep Centre. If this is unclear, we will be happy to offer a medical consultation with one of our specialists who will help determine the best test for you.
Once a sleep study test is completed, the study data will be assessed and reported by dedicated sleep scientists and sleep physicians. The results will be sent to your referring doctor. Depending on your sleep study results, you may require further treatment. It is important to discuss these with your referring doctor. If you have seen one of our specialists before the study, you will be offered a follow-up consultation to discuss the test results and a management plan for your condition. It is also important to consider a regular review with your GP or specialist to ensure that your treatment is progressing well and that your condition is being optimally treated.
There are many excellent reasons to have your home diagnostic sleep testing performed with us.
Our number one goal is to perform a home diagnostic sleep study of the highest quality and accuracy. We only perform type II home diagnostic sleep testing, as type III and type IV home sleep testing have reduced number of signals gathered and hence reduced sensitivity for the correct diagnosis of your sleep disorder.
We utilise the most modern and up-to-date equipment for home diagnostic sleep testing. We regularly assess the quality of the signals from the study and the equipment, to ensure that the quality is maintained.
If you are recommended to undertake a home diagnostic sleep study by one of our specialists at Sydney West Respiratory and Sleep Centre, one of our specialists will always be the one that reviews and reports the study, which would allow the most appropriate treatment recommendation to be made for you. The doctors at Sydney West Respiratory and Sleep Centre have no pecuniary interests in any devices used for treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea and will always recommend you the treatment options based on clinical indication and your personal preference.
Please note that home sleep studies can only quality for Medicare rebates for those over 18 years of age.
