Soft tissue rim sign (ureteric calculus)

Last revised by Tariq Walizai on 6 Aug 2024

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Gaillard F, Walizai T, Sharma R, et al. Soft tissue rim sign (ureteric calculus). Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 07 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-10394

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-10394

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/10394

rID:

10394

Article created:

10 Aug 2010, Frank Gaillard ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Frank Gaillard had no recorded disclosures.

View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures

Last revised:

6 Aug 2024, Tariq Walizai

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Tariq Walizai had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Tariq Walizai's current disclosures

Revisions:

13 times, by 9 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Urogenital

Sections:

Signs

Synonyms:

Rim sign (of ureteric calculi)
Soft tissue rim sign

The soft tissue rim sign is used to distinguish a ureteric calculus from a phlebolith. The former appears as a calcific density with a surrounding soft tissue rim, representing the edematous ureteric wall. On the other hand, phleboliths usually have invisible walls (up to 8% may have a soft tissue rim sign ²) but may have a comet tail sign.

This sign may be absent in cases of a larger (>4 mm) and/or ureterovesical calculus ³.