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Fetal transverse sinus

The fetal transverse sinus is a major dural venous sinus present during fetal development that drains venous blood from the posterior regions of the developing brain. It runs along the posterior margin of the tentorium cerebelli, extending laterally from the confluence of sinuses toward the sigmoid sinus. In the fetus, the transverse sinus is often larger and more symmetrical than in adults, reflecting the patterns of cerebral venous drainage before postnatal remodeling.

It functions to:

Collect blood from the superior sagittal sinus, straight sinus, and posterior cerebral veins
Transport venous blood to the sigmoid sinus, ultimately toward the internal jugular vein

After birth, the size and symmetry of the transverse sinuses may change as cerebral venous drainage patterns mature.

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