foramen

A patent foramen ovale - or PFO - which is a small hole between the top two chambers of the heart.

From BBC ● Jan. 1, 2025

It had a prominent pineal foramen -- a hole in the top of its head that many lizard species use to sense sunlight and judge the length of daylight hours.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 29, 2023

The shape of the opening at the base of its skull—the foramen magnum—suggested Sahelanthropus balanced its head on top of a vertical neck, similar to upright walkers such as today’s humans.

From Science Magazine ● Aug. 24, 2022

The sphenoid has multiple openings for the passage of nerves and blood vessels, including the optic canal, superior orbital fissure, foramen rotundum, foramen ovale, and foramen spinosum.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

Porta, pōr′ta, n. the part of an organ where its vessels and ducts enter, esp. the transverse fissure of the liver: the foramen of Monro.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

Lizards and iguanas, however, sport a single row of large holes above their teeth, called foramina, where blood vessels and nerves pass through.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 29, 2023

The sacral nerves emerge from the sacral foramina along the length of that unique vertebra.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

Openings here include the large foramen magnum, plus the internal acoustic meatus, jugular foramina, and hypoglossal canals.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

Blood vessels and nerves enter the bone through the nutrient foramina to nourish and innervate bones.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

The nerves are liable to be pressed upon as they pass through the intervertebral foramina, and this gives rise to pain and other disturbances of sensation in their area of distribution.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Alexander Miles