Petechia
A petechia (/pɪˈtiːkiə/; pl.: petechiae) is a small red or purple spot (≤4 mm in diameter) that can appear on the skin, conjunctiva, retina, and mucous membranes which is caused by haemorrhage of capillaries. The word is derived from Italian petecchia, 'freckle,' of obscure origin. It refers to one of the three descriptive types of hematoma differentiated by size, the other two being ecchymosis (>1cm in diameter) and purpura (4-10mm in diameter). The term is always used in the plural (petechiae), since a single petechia is seldom noticed or significant.
| Petechia | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Petechiae |
| Petechia on the tongue in a person with platelets (platelet count) of 3 G/L (normal: 150–450 G/L) due to ITP | |
| Pronunciation |
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| Specialty | Rheumatology |
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