Cerebral veins and dural venous sinuses drain blood out through which veins?

• A. External jugular veins
• B. Internal jugular veins
• C. Azygos vein
• D. Superior vena cava

Answer: (B)

Blood from the brain’s venous system exits through the internal jugular veins. The cerebral veins and the dural venous sinuses drain into these veins as they pass through the jugular foramen, and the internal jugulars carry this intracranial blood downward to join the subclavian veins, form the brachiocephalic veins, and eventually reach the superior vena cava on the way back to the heart. External jugular veins collect superficial drainage from the scalp and face, not intracranial blood. The azygos vein handles thoracic and posterior intercostal drainage, not brain venous outflow. So, the primary drainage pathway for cerebral venous blood is the internal jugular veins.