Development of posterior fossa dural sinuses, emissary veins, and jugular bulb: morphological and radiologic study.

PURPOSE To report the anatomic and radiologic development of the transverse, sigmoid, and occipital sinuses, the emissary veins, and the jugular bulb formation from the jugular sinus in humans before and after birth.

METHODS Roentgenograms of 33 injected brains showing the cranial venous system in human fetuses from 3 to 7 months of gestational age and cerebral angiograms of newborns and infants up to 6 years of age (23 clinical cases) were made and analyzed in detail. Special attention was focused on the inner diameters of the transverse and sigmoid sinuses and of the internal jugular veins, particularly at the sigmoid sinus-internal jugular vein junction.

RESULTS Marked increase in venous flow from the rapidly growing cerebral hemispheres leads to ballooning of the transverse sinuses in the absence of an increase in the inner diameters of the sigmoid and jugular sinuses. The ballooning also results in formation of the occipital sinus, marginal sinus around the foramen magnum, and emissary veins. The formation of the jugular bulbs from the jugular sinuses begins after birth when a shift from a fetal to a postnatal type of circulation (or from a lying-down position to an erect posture) takes place.

CONCLUSION The morphological changes of the posterior fossa dural sinuses, emissary veins, and jugular bulb are closely related to the development of the brain, shift to postnatal type of circulation, and postural hemodynamic changes.