Cranial Cavity: Dural Venous Sinuses

Question 1

Dural venous sinuses

Answer 1

Spaces between inner and outer layers dura lined with endothelium and have no valves

Question 2

Venous blood supply (5)

Answer 2

1. Skull
2. Brain
3. Pituitary gland
4. Orbit
5. Inner ear
   Receive CSF via arachinoid villi and many emissary veins

Question 3

Single sinuses (5)

Answer 3

1. Superior sagittal sinus
2. Inferior sagittal sinus
3. Straight sinus
4. Occipital sinus
5. Basilar plexus of veins

Question 4

CSF supply (2)

Answer 4

1. Arachnoid villi
2. Many emissary veins

Question 5

Superior sagittal sinus course

Answer 5

1. Begins foramen caecum
2. Passes backwards in upper attached border Falx cerebri
3. Ends at internal occipital protuberance
   Usually shifts to the right forming right transverse sinus

Question 6

Superior sagittal sinus tributaries (4)

Answer 6

1. Superior cerebral vein
2. 2 emissary veins
3. Arachnoid villi
4. Meningeal veins

Question 7

Inferior sagittal sinus course

Answer 7

1. Passes backwards in posterior 2/3 of lower free border Falx cerebri

Question 8

Inferior sagittal sinus tributaries

Answer 8

Veins from brain medial side

Question 9

Straight sinus course

Answer 9

1. Formed by union of inferior sagittal sinus and great cerebral vein
2. Passes backwards in midline at attachment of Falx cerebri with Tentorium cerebralli
3. Ends at internal occipital protuberance
   Usually shifts to left forming left transverse sinus

Question 10

Occipital sinus course

Answer 10

1. Begins from confluence of sinuses or one transverse sinus
2. Descends in Falx cerebelli
3. Divides into 2 branches near foramen magnum ending in sigmoid sinuses
4. It communicates with internal vertebral venous plexus

Question 11

Basilar plexus of veins site

Answer 11

Lies on clivus connecting both inferior pertosal sinuses

Question 12

Paired sinuses (6)

Answer 12

1. Transverse sinus
2. Sigmoid sinus
3. Superior petrosal sinus
4. Inferior petrosal sinus
5. Sphenoparietal sinus
6. Cavernous sinus

Question 13

Transverse sinus course

Answer 13

1. Right is continuation of superior sagittal sinus
2. Left is continuation of straight sinus
3. Passes lateral in attached border Tentorium cerebelli
4. Reach mastoid base process to become sigmoid sinus

Question 14

Transverse sinus tributaries

Answer 14

1. Superior petrosal sinus
2. Cerebellar vein
3. Skull vein

Question 15

Sigmoid sinus course

Answer 15

1. S shaped
2. Continuation of transverse sinus
3. Passes through jugular foramen
4. Becomes IJV

Question 16

Superior petrosal sinus course

Answer 16

1. Arises from posterior end cavernous sinus
2. Passes backwards in attached border Tentorium
3. Ends in transverse sinus

Question 17

Inferior petrosal sinus course

Answer 17

1. Arises from posterior end cavernous sinus
2. Descends in inferior petrosal sulcus (petrooccipital fissure)
3. Leaves skull via jugular foramen
4. End in IJV outside skull
5. Both sinuses are connected by basilar plexus of veins

Question 18

Sphenoparietal sinus course

Answer 18

1. Passes medial along posterior border of lesser wing sphenoid
2. Ends in cavernous sinus