Head and neck: thyroid veins: practice question

A Anatomy question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anatomy · Head and neck: thyroid veins

Sample item

During thyroidectomy the surgeon must ligate a short, wide, thin-walled vein, with no accompanying artery, to rotate the lobe medially. This vein drains directly into which vessel?

AInternal jugular veinBAnterior jugular veinCExternal jugular veinDBrachiocephalic vein

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Internal jugular vein

The middle thyroid vein is short and wide and leaves the lateral border of the lobe, with no corresponding artery, to drain into the internal jugular vein. It is fragile, and tearing it risks bleeding and air embolism. The inferior thyroid veins drain into the brachiocephalic veins.

Option by option

A. Internal jugular vein (correct)
Correct. The middle thyroid vein ends in the internal jugular vein.
B. Anterior jugular vein
The anterior jugular vein is a superficial vein near the midline of the neck.
C. External jugular vein
The external jugular vein drains the scalp and face superficially and does not receive thyroid veins.
D. Brachiocephalic vein
The inferior thyroid veins, not the middle vein, drain to the brachiocephalic veins.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is A, Internal jugular vein. The middle thyroid vein is short and wide and leaves the lateral border of the lobe, with no corresponding artery, to drain into the internal jugular vein.

Why is "Anterior jugular vein" not the answer?

The anterior jugular vein is a superficial vein near the midline of the neck.

Why is "External jugular vein" not the answer?

The external jugular vein drains the scalp and face superficially and does not receive thyroid veins.

Why is "Brachiocephalic vein" not the answer?

The inferior thyroid veins, not the middle vein, drain to the brachiocephalic veins.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Head and neck: thyroid veins in Anatomy. It is fragile, and tearing it risks bleeding and air embolism. The inferior thyroid veins drain into the brachiocephalic veins.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Head and neck: thyroid veins?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.