Objective To study the anatomy and variations of hepatic veins draining into inferior vena cava （IVC）， and to classify the surgical techniques of piggyback liver transplantation （PBLT） based on the view of hepatic veins anatomy with IQQA liver image analysis system so as to provide the important basis for the perioperative clinical decision making. Methods Two hundred and forty-eight cases of PBLT were preformed in the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University and the 3rd Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from May 2000 to August 2007， the types of hepatic veins were summarized according to the anatomy of hepatic veins and short hepatic veins draining into IVC at the second and third hepatic hilars. Forty cases of PBLT were preformed in the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from March 2010 to April 2013， and the anatomy of hepatic veins was reviewed with IQQA liver image analysis system. The anatomy of hepatic veins and technological type of liver transplantation were recorded respectively. Results Of these 248 livers studied in our center， type Ⅰ（the left and middle hepatic vein joined as one trunk ） was found in 142 cases （57.25%）， type Ⅱ （the right and middle hepatic vein joined as one trunk） was 54 cases （21.77%）， type Ⅲ （three hepatic veins joined as one trunk） in 14 cases （5.64%）， type Ⅳ （the left， middle， and right hepatic veins were all unique）in 34 cases （13.71%）， and type Ⅴ （no hepatic veins but short hepatic veins） in 4 cases （1.61%）. The data of 40 cases of PBLT from IQQA liver image analysis system showed that type Ⅰwere found in 24 cases （60.00%）， type Ⅱin 9 cases（22.50%）， type Ⅲ in 2 cases （5.00%）， type Ⅳ in 4 cases （10.00%）， and type Ⅴ in 1 case （2.50%）， which were matched with hepatic vein classification standard of the author. Conclusions Studying the anatomy and variations of hepatic veins draining into IVC with IQQA liver image analysis system and classifying the surgical techniques of PBLT （type Ⅰ，Ⅱ，Ⅲ，andⅣA patients can be performed classical PBLT；Type ⅣB and Ⅴ patients can only be performed ameliorative PBLT） could provide an important basis for clinical preoperative decision.