Phleboliths: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatment - Medical News Today

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Key takeaways

Phleboliths are small calcium lumps in veins, commonly found in the pelvis, and are usually harmless.
While often symptom-free, phleboliths can sometimes cause pain or other symptoms that may lead to misdiagnosis.
Treatment is typically unnecessary unless phleboliths cause pain, in which case a doctor may suggest options to manage the discomfort.

These calcifications are common, particularly in the pelvis. They are not usually a cause for concern and are rarely painful. However, if they do cause pain, treatments are available.

In this article, we look at the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of phleboliths.

What are phleboliths?

Phleboliths are round clusters of calcium that develop in the walls of a vein. They can vary in size but are usually around 5 millimeters across. They most commonly appear in the veins surrounding the pelvis.

Phleboliths are a type of vascular calcification. They are a sign of abnormality in the vein.

Phleboliths typically do not move and are harmless, but they may signal the presence of another condition. Many adults have phleboliths and are unaffected by them.

People of any age can have phleboliths. However, these lumps are more common in adults aged over 40 and appear at the same rate in men and women.

What causes phleboliths?

Researchers are uncertain why phleboliths form. They are usually present from birth or congenital.

Nongenetic causes of phleboliths include:

abnormalities in the veins, or venous malformations, which slow the flow of blood and cause calcium to collect
damage to the walls of the vein
varicose veins
poor blood flow
constipation and straining, which can damage pelvic veins

Do phleboliths cause symptoms?

Phleboliths often occur without any symptoms. A person may only learn of them after undergoing an unrelated X-ray or ultrasound.

However, depending on their size and location, phleboliths can cause the following signs and symptoms:

mild pain in the area
varicose veins or blood clots caused by reduced blood flow
dilated veins and swelling in the area
constipation, when the phleboliths are in the pelvic area

Because the symptoms are similar to those of other conditions, phleboliths may be overlooked or misdiagnosed.

How are phleboliths diagnosed?

These lumps are typically detected on routine X-rays and frequently occur with other vein abnormalities.

On an X-ray, phleboliths appear white or pale. A doctor may require additional scans, such as those from an ultrasound or MRI, to determine the exact location and extent of the phleboliths.

Depending on where the phleboliths are, they can be misdiagnosed as kidney stones. If a person experiences sharp pain in the abdomen, they may have kidney stones rather than phleboliths.

How are phleboliths treated?

Most often, phleboliths require no treatment and do not indicate any risk of disease. If phleboliths are causing intense pain, a doctor may suggest the following treatment options:

Sclerotherapy. In this procedure, the vein containing the phlebolith is shrunk with an injection.
Endovascular laser therapy. This involves using a laser fiber to seal off the vein, and it is a common treatment for varicose veins.
Surgery. Depending on the severity of the vein abnormalities, a surgeon may need to remove the vein and surrounding tissue while the person is under a general anesthetic.
Anti-inflammatories. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as naproxen, can reduce general pain caused by phleboliths.

Summary

Phleboliths are small clusters of calcium found in veins. They are normally present from birth and can occur with vein abnormalities that require treatment.

In most cases, phleboliths do not indicate the presence of a severe condition. If a person or doctor detects these lumps, they may need to see a specialist to discuss treatment options.

Blood / Hematology
MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Radiology / Nuclear Medicine

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Jendeberg J, et al. (2020). Differentiation of distal ureteral stones and pelvic phleboliths using a convolutional neural network. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7867560/
Luk ACO, et al. (2017). Pelvic phlebolith: A trivial pursuit for the urologist? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28114785
Varicose veins. (2024).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/varicose-veins/

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Medically reviewed by Darragh O'Carroll, MD — Written by Jo Lewin R.N. — Updated on March 5, 2025

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Key takeaways

What are phleboliths?

What causes phleboliths?

Do phleboliths cause symptoms?

How are phleboliths diagnosed?

How are phleboliths treated?

Summary

How we reviewed this article:

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