The radial vein starts in the hand and follows the course of the radial artery. It runs on the lateral aspect of the forearm and divides it into an anterior (front) and a posterior (back) part. In the hand it passes between the heads of the adductor pollicis muscle and then through the anatomical snuff box to lie on the outer aspect of the forearm. At the wrist it wounds laterally, after it passes through the anatomical snuff box.

CONTINUATION

The radial vein joins the ulnar vein from the other side to form the brachial vein.

FUNCTION

The radial artery carries deoxygenated blood from hand and the forearm, which gets oxygenated in the lungs. They drain this deoxygenated blood into the brachial vein which ultimately takes the blood to the right side of the heart. Then after passing through the lungs it is recirculated in the whole body by the left side of the heart.