Fig. 1

Embryological development of the IVC. a The sinus venosus receives paired common cardinal, umbilical and vitelline veins draining blood from general tissue, the placenta and the yolk sac, respectively. b The right hepatocardiac channel (purple) is formed by the right vitelline vein and persists to become the hepatic IVC. Paired subcardinal (red) and supracardinal veins (green) emerge and form multiple anastomotic channels. These include the intersubcardinal anastomoses, suprasubcardinal anastomoses and fusion between the right subcardinal vein (red) and developing hepatic IVC (purple). As the embryo matures, some of these anastomoses regress. c This illustration highlights vessels that persist to form the mature IVC and its tributaries