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# T9–T10 nucleus

The nucleus pulposus is the soft, gel-like centre of the [T9-T10](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/t9-t10/) disc in the mid-back; it works like a water cushion that spreads the load.

Official name: T9-T10

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## What it is

The soft, gel-like centre (nucleus pulposus) of the T9–T10 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 points

- Lower thoracic nuclei herniate more often than upper ones, and the fragment frequently calcifies

## Key facts

**Where**
Centre of the T9–T10 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](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/posterior-longitudinal-ligament/), then the dura and the [spinal cord](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/spinal-cord/)

## Examination

- Beevor sign: when the patient lying on the back lifts the head, the umbilicus moves upward; this points to weak lower abdominal muscles from a cord lesion near the T10 segment

## On imaging

CT before surgery shows whether the fragment is calcified and hints at whether it may have eroded the dura.

## 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

- Cord segments sit lower than their vertebrae: behind T9–T10 lie roughly the T11–T12 segments (texts vary), so a central fragment can give a lower sensory level than the T9 root a lateral one irritates
- Band pain from the T9 root is often worked up first as abdominal disease; pain that wraps from the back around to the front at one level points to the [spine](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/region/spine/)

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## How do lower thoracic nuclei such as T9–T10 differ from upper ones in herniation?

They herniate more often, and the fragment frequently calcifies.

## Why is CT done before surgery for a T9–T10 nucleus herniation?

It shows whether the fragment is calcified and hints at whether it may have eroded the dura.

## What lies behind the T9–T10 nucleus pulposus?

The back of the annulus fibrosus and the posterior longitudinal ligament, then the dura and the spinal cord.

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Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.

## Its names

**Official Latin (TA2)**
nucleus pulposus T9-T10 TA2 1686

**Official Spanish (DeCS)**
Núcleo pulposo T9-T10 DeCS D000070614

**English (TA2)**
T9-T10

## Related

- [T9–T10 disc](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/t9-t10/)
- [T10 vertebra](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/t10/)
- [T9 vertebra](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/t9/)

Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); [DeCS](https://decs.bvsalud.org/es/ths/resource/?id=56248&filter=ths_termall&q=N%C3%BAcleo%20Pulposo); [Anatomy, Back, Nucleus Pulposus](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535373/); [Anatomy, Back, Intervertebral Discs](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470583/); [7.3 The Vertebral Column](https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/7-3-the-vertebral-column) (OpenStax (Rice University), 2022) · adapted, [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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Source: https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/t9-t10-spine-and-pelvis/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/t9-t10-spine-and-pelvis/