Overview
The cerebral veins drain the brain parenchyma. They are valveless and do not follow the same courses as the arteries that supply it.
They arise from pial plexuses at the surface of the brain. They run for a variable distance in the pia mater, traverse the subarachnoid space, and eventually drain into a system of sinuses.
Venous sinuses are large low-pressure valveless veins within the folds of fibrous dura mater and endosteum (except inferior sagittal and straight which are between two layers of fibrous dura). There are eleven venous sinuses that converge at a common point overlying the internal occipital protuberance called the confluence of sinuses. From the confluence, the transverse sinus continues bilaterally and curves into the sigmoid sinus to meet the opening of the internal jugular vein.
Venous Sinuses |
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| CATEGORY 1’19 | ’17 | ’12 | ’06 |
Superior Sagittal Sinus
- Starts anteriorly and courses posteriorly in the midline to the internal occipital protuberance.
- Veins enter the sinus obliquely against the flow of blood.
- Three or four venous lakes project laterally from the sinus into which the arachnoid granulations and villi project
- Posteriorly the sinus turns to one side – usually the right, to become the transverse sinus
Inferior Sagittal Sinus
Runs in the lower free edge of the falx cerebri, joining posteriorly with the great cerebral vein to become the straight sinus
Straight Sinus
Runs in the tentorium between two folds of fibrous dura, to the confluence of sinuses (torcula herophili) – where the falx is attached to the internal occipital protuberance
Transverse and Sigmoid Sinuses
- Transverse sinuses run right and left from the confluence of the sinuses to the mastoid bone, where they turn interiorly and become the sigmoid sinus
- Continues at the jugular foramen as the IJV
- Venous dilatation within the foramen termed the jugular bulb
Cavernous sinus
Click here for more information on the cavernous sinus
Superior Petrosal Sinus
- Runs from the cavernous sinus to the sigmoid sinus in the attached margin of the tentorium on the superior border of the petrous part of the temporal bone
Inferior Petrosal Sinus
Runs from the cavernous sinus to the internal jugular vein at the base of the petrous temporal bone
Sphenopartietal sinus
Runs along the free edge of the lesser wing of the sphenoid bone to the cavernous sinus.
Superficial Cerebral Veins |
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| CATEGORY 1’19 | ’17 | ’12 | ’06 |
Superior Anastomotic Vein (of Trolard)
- Runs from the posterior end of the lateral sulcus posterosuperiorly to the superior sagittal sinus
- Anastomoses with the middle cerebral vein and the superior sagittal sinus
Inferior Anastomotic Vein (of Labbé)
Runs from posteroinferiorly from the posterior end of the lateral sulcus to the transverse sinus
Superficial Middle Cerebral Vein
Runs anteriorly along the lateral sulcus to drain via the sphenoid sinus to the cavernous sinus
Deep Cerebral Veins |
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| CATEGORY 1’19 | ’17 | ’12 | ’06 |
Choroid vein
Runs from the choroid plexus of the lateral ventricle
Septal Vein
Runs from the region of the septum pellucidum in the anterior horn of the lateral ventricle
Thalamostriate Vein
Runs anteriorly in the floor of the lateral ventricle in the thalamostriate groove between the thalamus and the lentiform nucleus.
Internal Cerebral Vein
- Runs each side posteriorly in the roof of the third ventricle
- Unites posterior to the splenium of the corpus callosum to form the Vein of Galen
Great Cerebral Vein (of Galen)
- Single, short (1-2cm) thick vein that passes posterosuperiorly in the quadrigeminal cistern, posterior to the splenium of the corpus callosum
- Formed by the union of the two internal cerebral veins and veins of Rosenthal.
- Receives tributaries from the basal veins and the posterior fossa veins
- Drains to the anterior end of the straight sinus which unites with the inferior sagittal sinus
Basal Vein (of Rosenthal)
Begins at the anterior perforated substance by union of three veins
- Anterior cerebral vein – accompanies ACA
- Deep middle cerebral vein – from insula
- Striate veins from the inferior part of the basal ganglia via the anterior perforated substance
Posterior Fossa Veins |
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| CATEGORY 1’19 | ’17 | ’12 | ’06 |
Anterior Pontomesencephalic Vein
- Runs on the anterior surface of the pons and midbrain in relation to the basilar artery
- Inferior drains via the petrosal veins to the superior petrosal sinuses
- Superior connected to the posterior mesencephalic vein
Posterior Mesencephalic Vein
Runs around the upper midbrain to drain into the great cerebral vein
Precentral Cerebrellar vein
Arises between the cerebellum and posterior midbrain in the midline and passes superiorly to drain the great cerebral vein
Superior Vermian Vein
Drains to the great vein
Inferior Vermian Vein
Drains to the straight sinus
Pontine Veins
Drain laterally to the petrosal sinus
Inferior Medullary Veins
Drain to the sphenoid or petrosal sinus