Lower limb venous anatomy terminology

Overview

This pages provides an overview of the international consensus of lower limb venous antomy terminology which recently updated venous anatomical terminology

It is relevant to ultrasound, angiograhy CT MRI and venography plain film radiography.

Over many years, lower limb venous anatomical terminology has been the subject of much controversy and disagreement.
The international union of Phlebogology (IUP) met and produced a consensus statement on venous nomenclature at a meeting held in Rome, Italy, in 2001 to update existing terminology from Terminologia Anatomica (which is the international standard on human anatomic terminology.)

They wanted to produce:an“internationally acceptable venous anatomical terminology that would satisfy both anatomists and clinicians”

universal terminology for the saphenous veins
to avoid the myriad of eponyms of perforators
Remove "superficial" femoral vein when talking about a deep vein of the thigh.

Anatomy

Venous Anatomy Divided into 3 groups:

Superficial (dermis > Muscular Fascia)
Deep (deep to muscular fascia)
Perforating veins

New anatomic names: Deep veins thigh

Common femoral vein, CFV
- The common femoral vein runs from the confluence of the femoral vein and the deep femoral vein to the external iliac vein at the inguinal ligament
Femoral vein, FV (replaces superficial femoral vein)
- The femoral vein replaces superficial femoral originates from the popliteal vein at the upper margin of the popliteal fossa and courses in the femoral canal.
Deep femoral vein, DFV(replaces profunda femorus vein)
- The deep femoral vein replaces profunda vein originates from the confluence of veins draining the muscles of the posterior and lateral thigh, the deep femoral communicating veins
Deep femoral communicating veins (accompanying veins of perforating arteries)
Medial circumflex femoral vein
Lateral circumflex femoral vein
Sciatic vein

Deep veins knee

Popliteal vein
Genicular venous plexus

Deep Veins of lower limb

Posterior tibial veins
peroneal Veins
Anterior Tibial veins

Superficial veins

Great saphenous vein GSV (replaces term long saphenous vein)
Sapheno-femoral Junction SFJ
External pudendal vein
Superficial circumflex iliac vein
Superficial epigastric vein
Anterior accessory of the great saphenous vein
Posterior accessory of the great saphenous vein
Superficial accessory of the great saphenous vein

Anterior thigh circumflex vein
Posterior thigh circumflex vein
Intersaphenous veins
Lateral venous system
Dorsal venous network of the foot
Dorsal venous arch of the foot
Superficial metatarsal veins (dorsal and plantar)
Plantar venous subcutaneous network
Superficial digital veins (dorsal and plantar)Lateral marginal vein
Medial marginal vein

Posterior lower leg

Small saphenous vein (replaces short saphenous vein)
Sapheno-popliteal junction
Cranial extension of the small saphenous vein
Superficial accessory of the small saphenous vein

Perforator veins

Ankle perforators

Medial ankle PV
Anterior ankle PV
Lateral ankle PV

Lower Leg perforators

Medial leg PV
Paratibial PV
Posterior tibial PV
Anterior leg PV
Lateral leg PV
Posterior leg PV
Medial gastrocnemius PV
Lateral gastrocnemius PV
Intergemellar PVPara-Achillean PV

Knee perforators

Medial knee PV
Suprapatellar PV
Lateral knee PV
Infrapatellar PV
Popliteal fossa PV

Thigh perforators

Medial thigh Pv
PV of the femoral canal
Inguinal PV
Anterior thigh PV
Lateral thigh PV
Posterior thigh PV
Postero-medial
Sciatic PV
Posterolateral
Pudendal PV