Objective:To explore the clinical significance of arterial portography in the diagnosis and management of prehepatic type portal hypertension(PHPHT). Methods:Between 2000 to 2002, all the 11 patients with PHPHT were diagnosed by angiography and B type ultrasounography. Different operations were parformed including mesocaval shunt in 5 patients,portalvena cava shunt in 1, splenorenal shunt in 2,and portoazygos venous disconection in 1. Two patients were not operated. Results: Nine cases undergoing surgical operations had satisfactory outcome. Conclusions: PHPHT can be correctly diagnosed by indirect portal venography which is important for the choice of operation.