Veins and Lymphatics 2019; volume 8:8379 Cerebral venous drainage To the contrary, in chronic cere- through internal jugular vein brospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) Correspondence: Giovanni Di Domenico, characterized by stenosis of the IJVs and Department of Physics and Earth Science, azygos (AZ) veins, the venous obstructions Scientific and Technology Pole, University of Nadiya Y. Mohammed, Giovanni Di are compensated by channeling the blood Ferrara, via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy. Tel.: +39.0532.974223. Domenico, Mauro Gambaccini through the collateral circles as alternative E-mail: [email protected] Physics and Earth Science Department, pathways or vicarious venous shunts so pre- 6-8 University of Ferrara, Italy venting intracranial hypertension. Key words: Cerebral venous drainage; internal The evaluation of the jugular venous jugular vein; central venous pressure; jugular pulse (JVP) provides valuable information vein pulse. about cardiac hemodynamics and cardiac filling pressure, which is defined as the Acknowledgments: we acknowledge the doc- Abstract heart preload at the end of diastole.9,10 toral program of the University of Ferrara for giving Nadiya Mohammed an opportunity to Internal jugular veins (IJVs) are the Further, JVP gives information about the accomplish her doctoral thesis. This work is largest veins in the neck and are considered characteristic wave patterns pathologic of part of her PhD research in Department of 11 the primary cerebral venous drain for the cardiac diseases, and an indirect estimate Physics and Earth Science, University of intracranial blood in supine position. Any of the central venous pressure central Ferrara. Moreover, we thank our lab group reduction in their flow could potentially venous pressure (CVP) which facilitates the members: Adriano Contillo, Paolo Cardarelli, and Giacomo Gadda for their invaluable con- results an increase in cerebral blood volume diagnosis and prognosis of many heart dis- 12 tribution. and intracranial pressure (ICP). The right eases. The JVP is defined as the expansion and internal jugular vein communicates with the Contributions: NYM had framed the writing right atrium via the superior vena cava, in contraction movement of IJV due to pres- under supervision of MG and GDD. which a functional valve is located at the sure change in right atrium (RA). It reflects union of the internal jugular vein and the the variation in RA pressure loading by car- Conflict of interests: the authors declare no superior vena cava. The atrium aspiration is diac cycle. The RA pressure can modify the conflictonly of interests. the main mechanism governing the rhyth- pressure gradient which drives the blood 13 Received for publication: 6 July 2019. mic leaflets movement of internal jugular from brain to RA. Hence, it can modulate the IJV blood velocity.14,15 Revision received: 2 September 2019. vein valve synchronizing with the cardiac Accepted for publication: 12 September 2019. cycle. Cardiac contractions and intratho- IJV is not known only as pulsatile butuse also racic pressure changes are reflecting in it is a distensible vein, for this reason, the IJV This work is licensed under a Creative Doppler spectrum of the internal jugular adjusts its shape according to the atmospheric Commons Attribution 4.0 License (by-nc 4.0). vein. The evaluation of the jugular venous pressure and internal venous pressure of this 16-18 pulse provides valuable information about collapsible vein. In ultrasound study (US), ©Copyright: the Author(s), 2019 cardiac hemodynamics and cardiac filling it has been shown a strong relation between Licensee PAGEPress, Italy pressures. The normal jugular venous pulse IJV cross-section area (CSA) and the trans- Veins and Lymphatics 2019; 8:8379 doi:10.4081/vl.2019.8379 wave consists of three positive waves, a, c, mural pressure, which is the difference and v, and two negative waves, x and y. A between internal venous pressure and atmos- normal jugular vein gradually reduces its pheric pressure. Therefore, the time diagram of the IJV cross section area obtained in analyz- longitudinal diameter, as described in multisepta, flaps, and malformed venous ing ultrasound B-mode images reflects on the anatomy books; it is possible to segment valves such as long, ectopic, accessory or JVP.19,20 IJV into three different segments J3 to J1, as fused leaflet, inverted valves, and double Abnormal jugular venous flow was 24,26 it proposed in ultrasound US studies and CT valves. scan. In this review, the morphology and classified into markedly decreased flow methodology of the cerebral venous velocity; pulsatile turbulent jugular venous drainage through IJV are presented. flow and reversed flow. The atrium aspira- Non-commercialtion is the main mechanism governing the rhythmic leaflets movements of internal Neck vein cerebral outflow jugular vein valve (IJVV) being synchro- The main cerebral venous outflow of 21,22 Introduction nous with the cardiac cycle. the neck consists of the IJVs and vertebral The IJVV, located near the junction venous system, and the deep cervical veins Internal jugular veins (IJVs) are the with the innominate vein, act as a buffer (cervical soft tissue veins). Their pathways largest veins in the neck and are considered prevent transmission of thoracic pressure show multiple anastomoses between them the primary cerebral venous drain for the and the reflux of jugular venous blood in the neck, especially in the region of the intracranial blood in supine position,1,2 (JVR) into the cerebral circulation.23,24 The cranial cervical junction. IJVs are the while in upright position, the jugular veins sustained JVR in abnormal elevated largest veins in the neck and considered the are collapsed, and cerebral venous drain Valsalva maneuver may render the IJV most important cerebral blood collectors in shifts specifically to the non-collapsible valves incompetent and pose a retrograde supine position.27-29 vertebral venous plexus.1,3 transmitted pressure into the central nerv- The external jugular vein (EJV) and In patients with head injury, cerebral ous system CNS.25-27 anterior jugular vein (AJV), compared with hemorrhage, brain tumors, and hydro- IJV outflow disturbance may be sec- the IJV, are located superficially in the neck. cephalus have an impaired hemodynamics, ondary to either extra luminal compression EJV is formed by the confluence of the pos- any reduction in IJV flow creates an caused by enlarged thyroid gland, bony terior branch of the posterior facial vein and increase in cerebral blood volume and structures and adjacent artery/or intralumi- the posterior auricular vein. It usually termi- intracranial pressure ICP.4,5 nal anomalies including membrane, web, nates into the confluence of the subclavian [page 70] [Veins and Lymphatics 2019; 8:8379] Review and IJV.30 The AJV receives blood from not in straight line from vena cava and right The normal jugular venous pulse wave superficial veins, such as EJVs, facial veins atrium, and it might be compressed by dilat- consists of three positive waves, a, c, and v, or IJVs. They usually end in the subclavian ed aorta or aneurysm. The normal mean and two negative waves, x and y. 41,42 vein or EJV. Bilateral AJVs may communi- jugular venous pressure is equivalent 6 to 8 The (a) wave is caused by right atrial cate via the jugular venous arch (JVA), cm H2O that is determined as the height of systole, when the pressure transmitted back which is located just above the sternum. blood column above the midpoint of the to the jugular veins by the contraction of the The JVA receives tributaries from the thy- right atrium.40 right atrium followed by (x) descent, which roid gland via inferior thyroid veins.26,31 EJV and AJV serve as collaterals and become prominent when the main cerebral venous drainage pathways (IJV and verte- bral veins VV) are compromised.32 The types and prevalence of human cerebral venous outflow patterns are analyzed by ultrasound US and magnetic resonance imaging MRI.28,33,34 Internal jugular vein morphology Internal jugular vein is the main vein collecting blood from the head and neck area.35,36 The cerebral venous flow goes mainly from the superficial and deep venous system to the transverse sinus that in only its turn continues in the sigmoid sinus to drain at the level of IJV foramen, the initial start of IJV. The IJV is asymmetric with two slight bulbs at the terminations, the inferior use bulb and superior bulb. It leaves the skull at jugular foramen to descend down the neck, beings at one end lateral to the interior carotid artery and then lateral to the com- Figure 1. Anatomy of neck vessels including right and left jugular veins with their termi- 61 mon carotid artery.37 At the base of the neck nation at brachiocephalic vein and vena cava. it joins the subclavian vein to form the bra- chiocephalic vein (Figure 1). The confluence of the two brachio- cephalic veins gives rise to the superior vena cava, which drains the cerebral venous blood into the right atrium.38 Jugular vein pulse pulse wave The jugular vein pulse (JVP)Non-commercial is the oscillating top of the vertical blood column in the distended proximal portion of IJV that reflects phasic pressure changes in vena cava or right atrial pressure, which is equiv- alent to right ventricle end diastolic pres- sure in the absence of tricuspid steno- sis.9,39,40 The JVP provides valuable infor- mation about cardiac hemodynamics and Figure 2. Normal JVP waveform corresponding to electrocardiography tracing ECG.The filling pressure, characteristic wave patterns CVP tracings show three positive waves (a, c and v) and two descents wave (x and y). (a pathognomonic of cardiac diseases and wave) is due to the increased atrial pressure during right atrial contraction and it is cor- 63 related with the P wave on ECG. (c wave) is caused by slight elevation of tricuspid valve indirect estimate of CVP.