Superior Sagittal Sinus
The structure indicated is the
superior sagittal sinus.
The brain is drained by a series of veins and venous channels which drain into large
dural venous sinuses, which in turn ultimately drain to the
internal jugular veins. The dural venous sinuses are lined by
endothelium and located between the layers of the
dura mater in the brain. The venous sinuses are different to other blood vessels as they do not have the same set of layers which form their walls, and do not contain valves, like veins.
The venous sinuses receive blood from veins which drain the brainstem, the cerebrum and the cerebellum, as well as
diploic and
emissary veins. Diploic veins run from inside the compact bone of the cranium into the venous sinuses, whereas emissary veins run from outside the cranium through the compact bone and into the venous sinuses.
The superior sagittal sinus is located on the superior border of the
falx cerebri and receives blood from superior cerebral, diploic, and emissary veins, as well as receiving CSF via arachnoid granulations. It drains blood from lateral and anterior parts of the cerebrum into the
confluence of sinuses. The superior sagittal sinus beings at the
foramen cecum and drains into the confluence of sinuses near the
internal occipital protuberance.