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Cranial foramina are openings in the skull that allow the passage of neurovascular and lymphatic structures between the cranial cavity and the rest of the body. The skull is a critical osseous structure that protects the brain while accommodating these essential communication pathways. The morphology of the cranial foramina provides protected channels through which nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels traverse the skull.[1] See Image. Foramen Ovale. This topic reviews the major cranial foramina and the important neurovascular structures that pass through them. See Image. Skull Foramen.