Which vessel returns blood from the lower portion of the body to the heart?

Which vessel returns blood from the lower portion of the body to the heart?

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

Answer: (D)

In the circulatory system, veins return blood to the heart. The vessel that specifically drains the lower body is the inferior vena cava. It collects deoxygenated blood from the legs, pelvis, and abdomen and carries it upward into the right atrium, then on to the right ventricle and to the lungs for oxygenation.

The other vessels have different roles: the superior vena cava brings blood from the upper body to the heart; the aorta carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the body; and the pulmonary artery carries blood from the heart to the lungs.