T2–T3 nucleus !
The nucleus pulposus is the soft, gel-like centre of the T2-T3 disc in the mid-back; it works like a water cushion that spreads the load.
Official name: T2-T3
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What it is
The soft, gel-like centre (nucleus pulposus) of the T2–T3 disc.
What it does
Works like a water cushion: it turns pressure from above into outward push on the fibre ring, spreading the load. It is under the most pressure when you bend forward and lift.
Key facts
- Where
- Centre of the T2–T3 disc, slightly toward the back, inside the annulus fibrosus
- Function
- Notochord-derived gel (about 70–90% water, proteoglycans); turns axial load into annulus tension; small in thin thoracic discs, herniation rare
Relations
- Behind
- Back of the annulus fibrosus and the posterior longitudinal ligament, then the spinal cord
Examination
- Pinprick in the armpit and inner upper arm, compared side to side, screens the T2 band; a change here with normal hand strength points to T2 rather than C8–T1
On imaging
A darker, drier nucleus is common in upper thoracic discs with age and is often an incidental MRI finding without symptoms.
Common problems
- Squeezes out through a tear in the ring (herniation), usually backward and to one side, toward a nerve root.
- Loses water with age, so the disc gets thinner and stiffer.
How it is diagnosed
On MRI a healthy nucleus is bright on T2 images; a worn one turns dark ('black disc').
Treatment
- In a microdiscectomy only the loose piece that has pushed out is removed; most of the disc stays.
Clinical notes
- When it does herniate, the main complaint is often pain between the shoulder blades; armpit pain alone is more often from the shoulder, chest wall or lung apex
- Pain and numbness of the inner upper arm can also come from the intercostobrachial nerve itself, which is often cut during axillary lymph node surgery; the history separates it from a T2 root lesion
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
Pain spreading into the armpit from a T2–T3 nucleus herniation points to which root?
The T2 root; herniation at this level is among the rarest in the spine.
What does a darker, drier T2–T3 nucleus on MRI usually mean?
Age-related change: it is common in upper thoracic discs and often an incidental finding without symptoms.
How does the T2–T3 nucleus pulposus handle load?
It turns axial load into tension on the annulus fibrosus, like a water cushion spreading the pressure.
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Its names
- Official Latin (TA2)
- nucleus pulposus T2-T3 TA2 1686
- Official Spanish (DeCS)
- Núcleo pulposo T2-T3 DeCS D000070614
- English (TA2)
- T2-T3
Related
Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); DeCS; Anatomy, Back, Nucleus Pulposus; Anatomy, Back, Intervertebral Discs; 7.3 The Vertebral Column (OpenStax (Rice University), 2022) · adapted, CC BY 4.0.
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.
