Roth's Spots in Diabetic Retinopathy

Roth's spots are retinal hemorrhages with white centers. The white center is fibrin. Whereas these lesions were once considered to be a reliable indication of underlying subacute bacterial endocarditis, they are now known to occur in many diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, leukemia, HIV retinopathy, anemia, and prolonged intubation during anesthesia. This photograph from a patient with diabetic retinopathy shows several (yellow arrows).