Sleep studies - MBS item (12261)

The following MBS item is included in this clinical category.

12261
Multiple sleep latency test for the assessment of unexplained hypersomnolence in a patient aged at least 12 years but less than 18 years, if: (a) a qualified sleep medicine practitioner determines that testing is necessary to confirm the diagnosis of a central disorder of hypersomnolence or to determine whether the eligibility criteria under the pharmaceutical benefits scheme for drugs relevant to treat that condition are met; and (b) an overnight diagnostic assessment of sleep is performed for at least 8 hours, with continuous monitoring of oxygen saturation and breathing using a multi-channel polygraph, and recordings of the following, in accordance with current professional guidelines: (i) airflow; (ii) continuous EMG; (iii) ECG; (iv) EEG (with a minimum of 4 EEG leads or, in selected investigations, a minimum of 6 EEG leads); (v) EOG; (vi) oxygen saturation; (vii) respiratory movement of rib and abdomen (whether movement of rib is recorded separately from, or together with, movement of abdomen); (viii) measurement of carbon dioxide (either end-tidal or transcutaneous); and (c) immediately following the overnight investigation, a daytime investigation is performed where at least 4 nap periods are conducted, during which there is continuous recording of EEG, EMG, EOG and ECG; and (d) a sleep technician is in continuous attendance under the supervision of a qualified sleep medicine practitioner; and (e) polygraphic records are: (i) analysed (for assessment of sleep stage, and maturation of sleep indices, arousals, respiratory events and assessment of clinically significant alterations in heart rate and body movement) with manual scoring, or manual correction of computerised scoring in epochs of not more than 1 minute; and (ii) stored for interpretation and preparation of a report; and (f) interpretation and preparation of a permanent report is provided by a qualified sleep medicine practitioner with personal direct review of raw data from the original recording of polygraphic data from the patient; and (g) the diagnostic assessment is not provided to the patient on the same occasion that a service described in item 11003, 12213, 12217 or 12265 is provided to the patient Applicable only once in a 12 month period