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 calculating drug dosages and medical indicators. The Mosteller formula is one of the most commonly used equations 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 to calculate medical parameters like cardiac index and chemotherapy dosages. It's more accurate than body weight alone for many medical purposes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. All values must be valid (weight > 0, height > 0).

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 many studies. It's one of the most commonly 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 with body size.

Q3: When is BSA used in medicine?
A: BSA is used for chemotherapy dosing, cardiac index calculation, and other medical parameters where body size matters.

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

Q5: Should BSA be used for all drug dosing?
A: No, only for specific drugs where dosing is known to correlate better with BSA than weight alone.