Roth's spots, also known as Litten spots or the Litten sign,

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.

Presentation

Associated conditions

Conditions associated with Roth's spots include:

  • Infective endocarditis
  • Anaemia/thrombocytopenia
  • Collagen vascular disease
  • Leukemia
  • Hypertensive retinopathy
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Pre-eclampsia
  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
  • Extreme hypoxia
  • Shaken-baby syndrome

and also: Litten, however reported a figure of 80%.