The longitudinal caudate veins are small veins on the lateral aspect of caudate body that collect tributaries from the deep white matter. Only 1-2 cm of cerebral white matter is drained by cortical veins, so that most of centrum semi-ovale and corona radiata is collected into tributaries of the internal cerebral vein. Frontal matter collects usually into longitudinal caudate veins which then form the thalamostriate vein. Variation is the rule.