Monodisperse magnetite nanospheres with hollow interior and porous shell structure were synthesized through one-pot solvothermal process. The chemical conversions of the Fe (III) compounds to generate Fe3O4 simultaneously coupled with the Ostwald ripening process within the magnetite spheres were considered as underlying mechanism for evolution of the Fe3O4 porous/hollow nanostructure. The morphology of Fe3O4 nanoparticles could be controlled by adjusting the conditions of process variables. We investigated their potential in hyperthermia-based treatments, using an alternative magnetic field. Our study revealed that higher applied frequency resulted in the higher heat generation and thus faster temperature growth. The hyperthermia efficiency of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles generally depended on particle structures and magnetic properties. The Fe3O4 porous/hollow nanoparticles also exhibited an excellent heat generation for several continuous cycles of applied field for a long time. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.