The middle cerebral veins are the superficial middle cerebral vein and the deep middle cerebral vein. * The superficial middle cerebral vein (superficial Sylvian vein) begins on the lateral surface of the hemisphere, and, running along the lateral sulcus, ends in the cavernous or the sphenoparietal sinus. * The deep middle cerebral vein (deep Sylvian vein) receives tributaries from the insula and neighboring gyri, and runs in the lower part of the lateral sulcus.