Which vessel brings blood from the head and shoulders to the heart?

Which vessel brings blood from the head and shoulders to the heart?

• A. Inferior vena cava
• B. Superior vena cava
• C. Aorta
• D. Pulmonary artery

Answer: (B)

Blood from the head and shoulders returns to the heart through the veins that drain the upper body into the right atrium. The vessel that collects this blood and delivers it to the heart is the superior vena cava. It empties into the right atrium and brings deoxygenated blood from the head, neck, and upper limbs down to the heart.

In contrast, the inferior vena cava handles the lower body, the aorta carries blood away from the heart to the body (as an artery, not a vein), and the pulmonary artery carries blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation (also not a vein returning blood to the heart). So the superior vena cava is the correct vessel for blood returning from the head and shoulders.