Certified Polysomnographic Technician Certification Certified Polysomnographic Technician Certification Sleep Scoring & Staging 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to AASM scoring rules, what EEG frequency range defines Stage N2 sleep spindles?
- 8–12 Hz
- 12–16 Hz (Correct answer)
- 4–8 Hz
- 16–20 Hz
Correct answer: 12–16 Hz
Sleep spindles are defined by AASM as bursts of 12–16 Hz activity lasting at least 0.5 seconds, characteristic of N2 sleep.
Question 2: Which feature is REQUIRED to score a 30-second epoch as Stage N3?
- Sleep spindles occupying >20% of the epoch
- K-complexes in the first half of the epoch
- Slow wave activity (0.5–2 Hz, ≥75 µV) occupying ≥20% of the epoch (Correct answer)
- Theta activity occupying ≥50% of the epoch
Correct answer: Slow wave activity (0.5–2 Hz, ≥75 µV) occupying ≥20% of the epoch
N3 requires slow wave activity of 0.5–2 Hz with peak-to-peak amplitude ≥75 µV occupying ≥20% of the epoch at F3, F4, or Fz.
Question 3: During REM sleep scoring, which eye channel finding is most characteristic?
- Slow rolling eye movements
- Rapid, conjugate, irregular eye movements (Correct answer)
- No eye movements
- Vertical nystagmus
Correct answer: Rapid, conjugate, irregular eye movements
REM sleep is characterized by rapid, irregular, conjugate eye movements recorded on the EOG channels.
Question 4: What is the minimum duration of a respiratory event to score it as an obstructive apnea per AASM guidelines?
- 5 seconds
- 10 seconds (Correct answer)
- 15 seconds
- 20 seconds
Correct answer: 10 seconds
An obstructive apnea requires ≥90% drop in the peak signal excursion lasting ≥10 seconds with continued or increased respiratory effort.
Question 5: When scoring a hypopnea using the AASM recommended criteria, what percent reduction in nasal pressure signal amplitude is required?
- 10%
- 20%
- 30% (Correct answer)
- 50%
Correct answer: 30%
AASM recommended criteria require a ≥30% reduction in nasal pressure signal amplitude lasting ≥10 seconds with ≥3% oxygen desaturation or an arousal.
Question 6: Which arousal scoring rule requires EEG frequency shift lasting at least 3 seconds after ≥10 seconds of sleep?
- AASM arousal rule (Correct answer)
- ICSD arousal rule
- Rechtschaffen & Kales arousal rule
- Berry arousal rule
Correct answer: AASM arousal rule
AASM arousal rules require an abrupt shift in EEG frequency (alpha, theta, or >16 Hz) lasting ≥3 seconds after ≥10 seconds of stable sleep.
Certified Polysomnographic Technician Certification Certified Polysomnographic Technician Certification Sleep Scoring & Staging 1
According to AASM scoring rules, what EEG frequency range defines Stage N2 sleep spindles?