Which major vessel receives blood from the upper body and returns it to the heart?

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

Answer: (B)

The major vessel that receives blood from the upper body and returns it to the heart is the superior vena cava. It collects deoxygenated blood from veins in the head, neck, and upper limbs and channels it into the right atrium, feeding the heart’s systemic circulation from above.

In contrast, the inferior vena cava drains the lower body, the aorta carries oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body, and the pulmonary artery sends blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.