Roth's spot

{{short description|Red lesion on the retina of the eye}}

{{Infobox medical condition

|name = Roth's spot

|synonym = Litten sign

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|specialty = Ophthalmology

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|causes = Conditions that predispose to endothelial damage of retinal capillaries

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|diagnosis = Fundoscopy

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Roth's spots, also known as Litten spots or the Litten sign, are non-specific red lesions with white or pale centres, seen on the retina of the eye and although traditionally associated with infective endocarditis, can occur in a number of other conditions including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, collagen vascular disease, extreme hypoxia, leukemia and HIV.{{Citation|last1=Ruddy|first1=Stephanie M.|title=Roth Spots|date=2019|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482446/|work=StatPearls|publisher=StatPearls Publishing|pmid=29494053|access-date=11 August 2019|last2=Bergstrom|first2=Reece|last3=Tivakaran|first3=Vijai S.}}{{Cite journal|last1=Blumenthal|first1=Eytan Z.|last2=Ehud|first2=Zamir|date=9 March 1999|title=Roth's Spots|journal=Circulation|volume=99|issue=9|pages=1271|doi=10.1161/01.CIR.99.9.1271|pmid=10069798|doi-access=free}}

Red and white retinal spots were first observed in 1872 by Swiss physician Moritz Roth, and named "Roth spots" six years later by Moritz Litten. They are typically observed via fundoscopy (using an ophthalmoscope to view inside the eye) or slit lamp exam.

The original retinal spots identified in 1872 were attributed to nerve-fibres that had burst. Present-day analysis shows that they can be composed of coagulated fibrin including platelets, focal ischaemia, inflammatory infiltrate, infectious organisms, or neoplastic cells.{{cite journal|last1=Lepore|first1=Frederick|year=1995|title=Roth's Spots in Leukemic Retinopathy|journal=New England Journal of Medicine|volume=332|issue=5|pages=335|doi=10.1056/NEJM199502023320515|pmid=7816078|doi-access=free}}