1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

Body Surface Area (BSA) is the calculated surface area of the human body. It's an important measurement in medicine, particularly for determining medication dosages and medical indicators. The Mosteller formula is one of the most commonly used methods for BSA calculation.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

• \( W \) — Weight in kilograms (kg)
• \( H \) — Height in centimeters (cm)

Explanation: The formula calculates BSA by taking the square root of the product of weight and height divided by 3600.

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is used in many medical applications including chemotherapy dosing, cardiac index calculation, and determining renal clearance. It's more accurate than body weight alone for these purposes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. Both values must be greater than zero for accurate calculation.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use Mosteller formula instead of others?
A: The Mosteller formula is simple to calculate and has been validated in multiple studies, making it one of the most widely used BSA formulas.

Q2: What are normal BSA values?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women, but varies significantly with body size.

Q3: When is BSA used in medicine?
A: Commonly used for chemotherapy dosing, calculating cardiac index, and adjusting drug dosages for both children and adults.

Q4: Are there limitations to BSA calculations?
A: BSA doesn't account for body composition (muscle vs fat) and may be less accurate for extremely obese or muscular individuals.

Q5: Can I use pounds and inches?
A: This calculator uses metric units. For imperial units, convert weight to kg (1 lb = 0.453592 kg) and height to cm (1 inch = 2.54 cm).