OBJECTIVE To explore the clinical value of dynamic posturography in the diagnosis of peripheral vertigo. METHODS One hundred and sixty peripheral vertigo patients with full clinical documents in vertigo clinic of our hospital from May 2007 to May 2008 were retrospectively analyzed in this study. All the patients firstly underwent the inspection of static and dynamic posturography and then were subjected to caloric test using videonystagmography. The results were conducted a comparative analysis. Surface of the statokinesigram (SSKG) was selected as assessment parameter of static posturography. The result of sensory organization test (SOT) were selected as assessment parameters of dynamic posturography. The unilateral weakness was selected as assessment parameter of caloric test. Twenty normal subjects were selected as control. RESULTS Among the 160 cases with peripheral vertigo, results of SOT in dynamic posturography were abnormal in 144 cases, with a sensitivity of 90.0%; caloric test was abnormal in 110 cases, with a sensitivity of 68.8%; static posturography was abnormal in 76 cases, with a sensitivity of 47.5%. There existed a statistically significant difference between dynamic posturography and caloric test or static posturography. There were 40 patients (25.0%) who had normal caloric test results in which dynamic posturography findings were abnormal. Among the 20 cases of normal people, results of SOT in dynamic posturography were abnormal in only one case (5.0%). CONCLUSIONS With its superior sensitivity and specificity, dynamic posturography has been an objective and reliable approach in the diagnosis of peripheral vertigo. It can help to confirm the presence of abnormalities in some peripheral vertigo patients whose caloric results are normal.