The Portion of the Intervertebral Disk That Ruptures is the Annulus

Question

The portion of the intervertebral disk that ruptures is the annulus fibrosus.

Accepted Answer

The portion of the intervertebral disk that usually ruptures is the nucleus pulposus, not the annulus fibrosus. The annulus fibrosus is the tough outer layer that encases the softer, gel-like nucleus pulposus.