What is the gold standard diagnostic test for obstructive sleep apnea?

• A. In-lab overnight polysomnography
• B. Home sleep apnea test
• C. Overnight EEG
• D. CT scan of chest

Answer: (A)

In-lab overnight polysomnography is the gold standard because it combines brain activity, eye movements, and muscle tone measurements with comprehensive breathing and oxygen monitoring while you sleep. This full sleep study captures actual sleep, allowing precise detection of apneas and hypopneas, accurate calculation of the apnea-hypopnea index, and correct sleep-stage scoring. That in-lab setting ensures you’re truly sleeping during the test, which is essential for an accurate diagnosis. A home sleep apnea test can diagnose moderate to severe cases in selected patients but uses fewer sensors and often lacks EEG data, making it less comprehensive and potentially less accurate. An overnight EEG alone doesn’t assess breathing or airway obstruction, and a CT scan of the chest isn’t used to diagnose sleep apnea.