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Sigmoid sinus

Vein: Sigmoid sinus

Dural veins. ("Pars sigmoid" labeled at lower right.)
Latin	sulcus sigmoideus
Gray's	subject #171 657
Source	transverse sinus
Drains to	internal jugular vein
MeSH	Cranial+Sinuses
Dorlands/Elsevier	s_12/12739223

The sigmoid sinuses (left & right), within a human head, are 2 areas beneath the brain, which allow blood veins to span the area, from the center of the head downward. They drain from the transverse sinuses (under the back of the brain) to the internal jugular vein. See diagram (at right): labeled under the brain as "PARS SIGMOID." (for Latin: sigmoideus).

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Each sigmoid sinus begins beneath the temporal bone and follows a tortuous course to the jugular foramen, at which point the sinus becomes continuous with the internal jugular vein.

v • d • e Veins of head and neck
head and face	common facial • facial (frontal, supraorbital, angular, superior labial, inferior labial, deep facial) • pterygoid plexus retromandibular (maxillary) • superficial temporal (anterior auricular) • posterior auricular occipital • suboccipital venous plexus
neck	internal jugular: lingual • pharyngeal • superior thyroid • middle thyroid other jugular veins: external • anterior • arch vertebral (deep cervical)
diploic/brain	cerebral: superior • middle • inferior • great • internal (basal) cerebellar: superior • inferior
sinuses of the dura mater	sigmoid • transverse (petrosquamous) confluence: superior sagittal • straight (inferior sagittal) • occipital cavernous (sphenoparietal) • inferior petrosal (basilar plexus) • intercavernous • superior petrosal • emissary
ophthalmic	superior ophthalmic • central retinal • nasofrontal • inferior ophthalmic • vorticose veins
internal auditory veins