Straight sinus

Vein: Straight sinus
Dural veins (Straight sinus labeled as 'SIN. RECTUS' at center right.)
Dura mater and its processes exposed by removing part of the right half of the skull, and the brain. (Straight sinus visible as blue line at center left.)
Latin	sinus rectus
Gray's	subject #171 655
Source	inferior sagittal sinus, great cerebral vein
Drains to	confluence of sinuses
MeSH	Cranial+Sinuses

The straight sinus (also known by the alternate anatomical term tentorial sinus), within the human head, is an area beneath the brain, which allows blood veins to span the area, from the center of the head towards the back. It drains from the inferior sagittal sinus (from the center of the brain) to the transverse sinuses (at the back of the head), then to the sigmoid sinuses below the brain. See diagram (at right): labeled in the brain as "SIN. RECTUS" (for Latin: sinus rectus).

The straight sinus (tentorial sinus) is situated along the junction of the falx cerebri and the tentorium cerebelli.

It forms from the confluence of the inferior sagittal sinus and great cerebral vein (great vein of Galen). In cross-section it is triangular, contains a few transverse bands across its interior, and increases in size as it proceeds backward. It receives the superior cerebellar veins.

The terminal part of the straight sinus drains into the confluence of the sinuses.

Additional images

Tentorium cerebelli from above.

Human brain dura mater (reflections)

See also

• Dural venous sinuses

References

• This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated.

External links

• Straight+sinus at eMedicine Dictionary