Objective:To study combination effects of gamma;-ray radiation and hyperthermia on the in vitro cell proliferation of cultured human retianl glial cells in order to explore possible application of the combination treatment for proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Methods:Cultured human retinal glial cells were tread by radiation, hyperthermia,or a combination of the two.Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT method. Results:gamma;-ary irradiation of 100cGy or 300cGy was not effective in suppressing proliferation of the retinal glial cells,neither was the heat treatment at 42℃ or 43℃ for 30 min.Howver,combination of hyperthermia at 42℃ for 30min with 300cGy irradiation suppressed cellular growth of the retinal glial cells to 25.2% of the control.Combination treatment of 43℃，30 min hyperthermia and 300cGy irradiation was more effective. Conclusion:A combination of low dose radiation and mild hyperthermia is effective in the suppression of frowth of cultured human glial cells,and the effects were found to be synergistic.It is expected that the synergistic effects will lower the radiation dose and and also reduce the possible side effects of radiation in the treatment of proliferative vitroretinopathy. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,1998,14:29-32)