Splenomegaly severely compromises the quality of life of those affected. The aim of the present study was to describe the clinical characteristics of patients with haematological disorders who receive
radiotherapy for
splenomegaly, particularly focusing on the changes in spleen volume. The present study conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with haematological disorders who underwent splenic
radiotherapy with palliative intent at the Department of Radiology of the University of Tokyo Hospital between June 2008 and June 2019. Pre- and post-
radiotherapy spleen volumes were measured from computed tomography images. A total of 8 patients (5 men and 3 women) with a median age of 59 years (range, 46-76 years) were included. The median total prescription and fractional doses were 4.5 Gy (range, 1.5-10 Gy) and 0.78 Gy (range, 0.5-2.0 Gy), respectively. A total of 5 patients (62.5%) experienced a reduction in spleen volume. The mean ± SD spleen sizes pre- and post-
radiotherapy were 1,887±1,011 and 1,368±577 ml, respectively. The mean variation rate in spleen volume was -19.1±24.7%, and the case with the most notable improvement in the present study exhibited a -52.4% change. Of the 5 patients who experienced
pain prior to
radiotherapy, 3 achieved
pain relief, 1 did not experience any change and 1 patient was not assessed post-
radiotherapy. Therefore, the findings of the present study revealed that palliative
radiotherapy for
splenomegaly may achieve symptom palliation and radiological volumetric effects in patients with haematological disorders.