Most of the Lymph Returns to the Venous Circulation by Way

Question

Most of the lymph returns to the venous circulation by way of the
A) right lymphatic duct.
B) thoracic duct.
C) cisterna chyli.
D) hepatic portal vein.
E) dural sinus.

Accepted Answer

The majority of lymph returns to the venous circulation through the thoracic duct, which empties into the left subclavian vein. The right lymphatic duct empties into the right subclavian vein but only receives a small portion of the lymph from the upper right quadrant of the body. The cisterna chyli is a dilated sac at the base of the thoracic duct where it receives lymph from the intestinal trunk, but it ultimately empties into the thoracic duct. The hepatic portal vein carries blood from the digestive tract to the liver, not lymph. The dural sinus is a vein that drains the brain but is not directly involved in the lymphatic system.