What anatomical structure is abbreviated as SVC?

• A. Subclavian vein
• B. Superior vena cava
• C. Superior vena artery
• D. Inferior vena cava

Answer: (B)

SVC stands for Superior vena cava, a large vein that returns deoxygenated blood from the head, neck, and upper limbs (and part of the upper chest) to the right atrium of the heart. It sits in the superior mediastinum and is formed by the union of the left and right brachiocephalic veins, then drains into the upper part of the right atrium. This makes it distinct from the inferior vena cava, which drains the lower body, and from arteries, which carry blood away from the heart. The subclavian vein contributes to the drainage system of the upper limb and eventually feeds into the brachiocephalic veins that form the SVC, but it is not the SVC itself.