Which of the following vessels is NOT involved in transporting blood away from the heart?

The superior vena cava is a large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the right atrium of the heart. It plays a critical role in the circulatory system by returning blood to the heart rather than transporting it away from it.

In contrast, the pulmonary arteries, aorta, and coronary arteries all have functions involving the distribution of oxygen-rich blood (or in the case of pulmonary arteries, deoxygenated blood to the lungs) away from the heart. The pulmonary arteries transport blood from the right ventricle to the lungs for oxygenation, the aorta carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body, and the coronary arteries provide blood to the heart muscle itself. Thus, the superior vena cava stands out as the vessel not involved in transporting blood away from the heart.