What is the most accurate test to diagnose sleep apnea?

Polysomnography is considered the most accurate test for diagnosing sleep apnea. This comprehensive test records a variety of physiological parameters while a patient sleeps, including brain waves, oxygen levels in the blood, heart rate, breathing patterns, and eye and leg movements. By capturing this wide range of data, polysomnography allows for an accurate assessment of sleep stages and disturbances, directly identifying sleep apnea events and their severity.

While home sleep apnea tests can provide valuable insights and are convenient for the patient, they typically measure fewer parameters than polysomnography, which may result in less precise diagnoses. CT scans and X-rays, on the other hand, are not utilized for diagnosing sleep apnea but rather for examining structural issues within the body's anatomy that may contribute to obstructive sleep apnea. Thus, polysomnography remains the gold standard for accurately diagnosing the condition.