T
The Daily Insight

What is the sagittal sinus

Author

Rachel Hickman

Published Mar 21, 2026

The superior sagittal sinus (also known as the superior longitudinal sinus), within the human head, is an unpaired area along the attached margin of the falx cerebri. It allows blood to drain from the lateral aspects of anterior cerebral hemispheres to the confluence of sinuses.

Where are the sagittal sinuses?

The superior sagittal sinus (SSS), which is the longest dural sinus, lies along the superior edge of the falx cerebri, which is attached to the crista galli at the interhemispheric space just underneath the cranial vault.

What is the role of the superior sagittal sinus?

The purpose of the superior sagittal sinus is to carry waste and fluids away from the brain as veins do throughout the rest of the body.

What is the function of inferior sagittal sinus?

The inferior sagittal sinus is a dural venous sinus found within the inferior, free margin of the falx cerebri. This sinus collects the blood from the falx and often from the medial surfaces of the brain hemispheres.

What does the sagittal sinus drain?

The superior sagittal sinus drains blood from cortical veins of the cerebral hemispheres, veins of the falx cerebri and meninges, diploic veins of the skull and emissary veins from the scalp. It empties into the confluence of sinuses in the occipital region.

What are brain sinuses?

The dural venous sinuses (also called dural sinuses, cerebral sinuses, or cranial sinuses) are venous channels found between the endosteal and meningeal layers of dura mater in the brain.

Where is the sagittal?

In anatomy, the sagittal plane (/ˈsædʒɪtəl/), or longitudinal plane, is an anatomical plane which divides the body into right and left parts. The plane may be in the center of the body and split it into two halves (mid-sagittal) or away from the midline and split it into unequal parts (para-sagittal).

Where does inferior sagittal sinus drain into?

The inferior sagittal sinus is one of the dural venous sinuses and runs along the inferior (free) edge of the falx cerebri 1. It runs from anterior to posterior, the same as the superior sagittal sinus, and drains into the straight sinus.

What receives blood from the inferior sagittal sinus?

Inferior sagittal sinusTA24854FMA50768Anatomical terminology

What is the great vein of Galen?

The great cerebral vein is one of the large blood vessels in the skull draining the cerebrum of the brain. It is also known as the “vein of Galen”, named for its discoverer, the Greek physician Galen. However, it is not the only vein with this eponym.

Article first time published on

Where are bridging veins?

Bridging veins are veins in the subarachnoid space that puncture the dura mater and empty into the dural venous sinuses.

Where is the great cerebral vein?

The great cerebral vein (vein of Galen) is a deep cerebral vein formed by the basal veins of Rosenthal, the internal cerebral and some superior cerebellar veins. It is situated in the quadrigeminal cistern, posterior to the brainstem and third ventricle.

Where does occipital sinus drain?

The occipital sinus is the smallest of all dural venous sinuses. It lies in the base of the falx cerebelli on the inner side of the occipital bone. The occipital sinus drains the blood from the marginal sinus, which is a venous vessel situated along the rim of the foramen magnum.

Is superior sagittal sinus paired?

The venous lacunæ are also well shown; from two of them probes are passed into the superior sagittal sinus. The superior sagittal sinus (also known as the superior longitudinal sinus), within the human head, is an unpaired area along the attached margin of the falx cerebri.

How does blood drain from the brain?

The veins of the central nervous system drain deoxygenated blood from the cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem and spinal cord. After emptying into the dural venous sinuses, most cerebral venous blood flows into the internal jugular veins before it is returned to the heart.

Which sinuses do the cavernous sinuses drain to?

Cavernous sinuses drain the blood from the orbits through the ophthalmic veins and from the anterior part of the base of the brain by the sphenoparietal sinus and the middle cerebral veins. They empty into both the superior and inferior petrosal sinuses and ultimately into the internal jugular veins.

What is sagittal axis?

Sagittal (also known as the antero-posterior) axis – this line runs from front to back through the centre of the body. For example, when a person performs a cartwheel they are rotating about the sagittal axis. … For example, when a skater performs a spin they are rotating around the vertical axis.

Do all human skulls have a sagittal suture?

Sagittal sutureHuman adult skull from above. Sagittal suture labeled at center.DetailsIdentifiersLatinsutura sagittalis

What is the purpose of the sagittal suture?

element of cranial joint …and the newborn child, the sagittal suture, which separates the right and left halves of the roof of the skull, is quite wide and markedly so at its anterior and posterior ends. This enables one of the halves to glide over the other during the passage of the child through

What is the difference between a cranial vein and a cranial sinus?

The veins of the brain have no muscular tissue in their thin walls and possess no valves. They emerge from the brain and lie in the subarachnoid space. They pierce the arachnoid mater and the meningeal layer of the dura and drain into the cranial venous sinuses.

What's the difference between vein and sinus?

Unlike veins, these sinuses possess no muscular coat. Their lining is endothelium, a layer of cells like that which forms the surface of the innermost coat of the veins. The sinuses receive blood from the veins of the brain and connect directly or ultimately with the internal jugular vein.

What type of blood vessel is a sinus?

The arterioles drain into venous sinuses (space or cavity). Sinuses have a basement membrane which is lined by endothelial cells within the sinus and surrounded by reticular (e.g. adventitial) cells on other side. Blood from several venous sinuses may combine in a collecting sinus which leads to a central vein.

Where does superior sagittal sinus drain?

The superior sagittal sinus drains the lateral aspects of the anterior cerebral hemispheres. [4] The superior sagittal sinus eventually progresses posteriorly to the confluence of sinuses where it terminates.

What veins drain the brain?

The cerebral veins drain the brain parenchyma and are located in the subarachnoid space. They pierce the meninges and drain further into the cranial venous sinuses. The cerebral veins lack muscular tissue and valves.

Which veins carry blood out of the cranial vault and back towards the heart?

jugular vein, any of several veins of the neck that drain blood from the brain, face, and neck, returning it to the heart via the superior vena cava.

Does the inferior sagittal sinus drain into the straight sinus?

The inferior sagittal sinus is formed within the free edge of the falx cerebri by the confluence of veins draining the falx cerebri and empties into the straight sinus. The sphenoparietal sinus connects both to the cavernous sinus and to the superior sagittal sinus.

Which sinuses do the superior petrosal sinuses drain to?

The superior petrosal sinus is one of the dural venous sinuses and drains the cavernous sinus. It courses posterolaterally to drain into the sigmoid sinus at the continuation of the transverse sinus. It runs along the superior aspect of the petrous temporal bone.

Which dural venous sinus does the superior sagittal sinus drain to?

Superior: They run along the petrous part of the temporal bone in the base of the tentorium cerebelli, terminating in the sigmoid sinus. Inferior: They exit the cavernous sinus and terminate in the sigmoid sinus.

Is vein of Galen malformation a congenital?

Vein of Galen malformation (VGAM) results from an aneurysmal malformation with an arteriovenous shunting of blood. The congenital malformation develops during weeks 6-11 of fetal development as a persistent embryonic prosencephalic vein of Markowski; thus, VGAM is actually a misnomer.

What is a Galen aneurysm?

Listen. Vein of Galen aneurysm is a rare form of arteriovenous malformation in which the embryonic precursor to the vein of Galen, a vein at the base of the brain, dilates causing too much blood to rush to the heart. This can lead to rapid heart failure.

What is in the circle of Willis?

The Circle of Willis is the joining area of several arteries at the bottom (inferior) side of the brain. At the Circle of Willis, the internal carotid arteries branch into smaller arteries that supply oxygenated blood to over 80% of the cerebrum.