What does PSG stand for?

• A. Polysomnogram
• B. Polysomnography
• C. Post Sleep Graph
• D. Polysomnogram Study

Answer: (A)

Understanding PSG starts with what is being captured during a sleep study. The polysomnogram is the set of physiological recordings collected while a person sleeps—EEG for brain activity, EOG for eye movements, EMG for muscle tone, plus monitoring of heart rate, breathing, oxygen levels, and sometimes leg movements. PSG stands for Polysomnogram, referring to that recording itself. The overall procedure and study are called polysomnography, but the abbreviation PSG is commonly used to denote the recording part. The other options aren’t standard terms in sleep medicine: Post Sleep Graph isn’t used, and Polysomnography or Polysomnogram Study are not the conventional designation for the recording.