Great cerebral vein
Vena magna cerebri
- Latin synonym: Vena cerebralis magna
- Latin eponym: Vena Galeni
- Eponym: Vein of Galen
Definition
The great cerebral vein (vein of Galen) is a deep cerebral vein formed by the union of the two basal veins (of Rosenthal), the two internal cerebral veins and some superior cerebellar veins.
The great cerebral vein is located in the quadrigeminal cistern. It curses backward and upwards around the posterior border of the splenium of corpus callosum, and end into the confluence of the straight sinus and the inferior sagittal sinus.
The drainage territory is variable but mainly concerns the superior cerebellum, interpeduncular fossa, inferior horn of the lateral ventricle, parahippocampal gyrus, corpus callosum, midbrain, and choroid plexuses of the third and lateral ventricles.
References
Text by Antoine Micheau, MD - Copyright IMAIOS
