Visualising the Dural Venous Sinuses Using Volume Tracing, a Novel Approach

Abstract

It is well established that the brain changes dramatically in appearance during gestation and even after birth. Due to the multi-channelled origins and the number of developmental options, the adult venous system is characterised by a higher incidence of anatomical variations than the arterial system. Limited information is available on imaging of the intracranial veins and sinuses. It is therefore important to understand the normal anatomy of the cerebral venous system and its variants in order to provide adequate and comprehensive training to medical students and researchers. We used a novel approach to trace the volumes of the dural venous sinuses. The approach included constructing three-dimensional (3D) models of the dural venous sinuses which could then be used for statistical and morphological analyses. This chapter will expand on current literature and visualisation techniques of the dural venous sinuses. The reader will be presented with a novel way of looking at the venous drainage of the brain and how to use this visualisation in understanding venous anatomy and its clinical implications.

Keywords: Cerebral sinuses; Venous system; Visualisations; Volume tracing.