title: [The development of the cerebral venous system--from the embryo to the adult definitive structure].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The human development consists of a continuous process where an uninterrupted pattern of extremely complex repetitive cycles of growth, modulation and modification take place. Despite this extreme complexity, the normal development is ordered by an impressive regularity, namely, in chronological, anatomical, topographic and physiological trends. In some organic systems, this development will not be totally ended by the time of birth. In this situation, further changes will have to take place until the adult definitive pattern is achieved. The cerebral venous system (CVS) is such a paradigm.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The authors pretend to present a synopsis of the specific organogenesis of the cerebral venous system in order to allow a correct interpretation of the vascular structures, recognise the anatomical variations and better comprehend the topographic correlations between neighbouring structures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following a structured and synthetic order, the main guiding lines of the principal evolutional steps will be presented from the first embryological stages until the final and definitive adult pattern.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The detailed study of the continuous development stages of the CVS constitutes a fundamental tool for the whole recognition of the anatomical structures, their correct interpretation and detection of possible variants as well as a better comprehension of topographic relationship between neighbouring structures. In other words and following KL Moore, Embryology illuminates anatomy.
authors.affiliation: UCAN, Unidade Clínica Autónoma de Neurorradiologia, Hospital Prof. Dr. Fernando da Fonseca, Amadora, Portugal.
authors.forename: Leonor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cravo
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bousende
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martins Pisco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002550:Cerebral Veins / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans