Cell　morphology　is　the　research　foundation　in　many　applications　related　to　the　estimation　of　cell　status,　drug　response,　and　toxicity　screening.　In　biomedical　field,　the　quantitative　phase　detection　is　an　inevitable　trend　for　living　cells.　In　this　paper,　the　morphological　change　of　HeLa　cells　treated　with　methanol　of　different　concentrations　is　detected　using　digital　holographic　microscopy.　The　compact　image-plane　digital　holographic　system　is　designed　based　on　fiber　elements.　The　quantitative　phase　image　of　living　cells　is　obtained　in　combination　with　numerical　analysis.　The　statistical　analysis　shows　that　the　area　and　average　optical　thickness　of　HeLa　cells　treated　with　12.5%　or　25%　methanol　reduce　significantly,　which　indicates　that　the　methanol　with　lower　concentration　could　cause　cellular　shrinkage.　The　area　of　HeLa　cells　treated　with　50%　methanol　is　similar　to　that　of　normal　cells　(P　＞　0.05),　which　reveals　the　fixative　effect　of　methanol　with　higher　concentration.　The　maximum　optical　thickness　of　the　cells　treated　with　12.5%,　25%,　and　50%　methanol　is　greater　than　that　of　untreated　cells,　which　implies　the　pyknosis　of　HeLa　cells　under　the　effect　of　methanol.　All　of　the　results　demonstrate　that　digital　holographic　microscopy　has　supplied　a　noninvasive　imaging　alternative　to　measure　the　morphological　change　of　label-free　living　cells.