The veins of the nucleus dentatus: Anatomical and radiological findings

The veins of the dentate nucleus are composed of several channels draining the external surface and one single vein draining the internal surface. We analyzed specimens of the human cerebellum and described the central vein of the nucleus dentatus as the main venous outflow of the nucleus. The central vein of the nucleus dentatus is formed by a network of smaller vessels draining the sinuosities of the gray matter; it emerges from the hilum of the nucleus and runs along the superior cerebellar peduncle, opening in the anterior vermian vein. We looked for this structure and for the surrounding veins on ultra-high-field (7Tesla) MR, using susceptibility-weighted imaging. An anatomical and radiological description of the veins of the dentate nucleus is provided, with some remarks on the future clinical applications that these findings could provide. ►The major venous outflow of the dentate nucleus is the central vein. ►It is formed by a network of smaller vessels draining the sinuosities of the gray matter. ►It was rarely studied in anatomical dissections. ►It was never seen by conventional neuroimage techniques. ►The veins of the dentate nucleus are visible by means of 7T MR SWI sequences.