Home Diagnostic Services

Comprehensive Home Based Sleep Studies

Portable or home sleep studies are available for patients who are referred to our Centre by a Specialist or by a General Practitioner.  Not all patients are suited to a home sleep study.  Your doctor will assess your suitability by conducting a comprehensive sleep assessment and advise you as to whether this is a suitable option for you.

Home sleep testing is primarily used to diagnose Sleep Apnea and will be recommended by your Specialist or GP if:

• It is highly likely that you have moderate to severe Sleep Apnea
• You have no significant medical conditions other than the suspected Sleep Apnea

Sydney Sleep Centre performs comprehensive or Level 2 home based Sleep Studies. These may be diferent and more detailed than some sleep studies (Level 3 or 4 Tests) offered by other non-medical sleep companies, where there are less recording leads. Level 2 home sleep studies are the most accurate home based sleep studies and are government supported with a Medicare rebate. A Level 2 home sleep study includes similar physiologic measurements as a laboratory (inpatient or overnight) sleep study but you sleep in the comfort of your home.

It is a non-invasive study which records various biological processes that take place while you sleep.  These include:

1. Body oxygen level by measuring light transmission through the finger with an "oximeter"
2. Airflow through the nose
3. Chest and abdomen movements
4. Heart activity also known as electrocardiogram (ECG)
5. Brain activity also known as electroencephalogram (EEG)
6. Muscle activity also known as electromyogram (EMG)
7. Eye activity also known as electrooculogram (EOG)

Please be advised that we operate according to guidelines set by Medicare.  Medicare will rebate for only one portable or home study test in a twelve month period. If an abnormality is discovered from your portable or home study, and you require a second study for treatment, you will need to attend a hospital based Sleep Laboratory for an overnight sleep study.

Actigraphy Testing

Sydney Sleep Centre offers actigraphy testing to patients when referred by a medical practitioner. An Actigraph is a wrist worn watch-like device that records movement and has validated algorithms to estimate wake and sleep. It is useful to assess sleep schedules, sleep time, and wake time, and is usually worn continually for approximately 7 days. The data is then downloaded to provide a graphical summary of wakefulness and sleep patterns over time, together with estimates of certain sleep parameters that are commonly measured by polysomnography (PSG/sleep studies) such as sleep latency (SL); total sleep time (TST); wake after sleep onset (WASO); and sleep efficiency (SE).

Actigraphy is particulary used in Sleep Medicine to assess and help manage:

- Insomnia

- Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders, such as a Delayed Sleep Phase Condition or Shift Work Sleep Disorder

- Idiopathic Hypersomnia (where a MSLT is negative (ICSD - 3 Criteria))

- Prior to MSLT or MWT Laboratory Tests to aid interpretation