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 that are based on body size rather than just weight.

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, chemotherapy dosages, and glomerular filtration rate. It's considered 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 BSA instead of weight for medication dosing?
A: BSA accounts for both height and weight, providing a better estimate of metabolic mass than weight alone, especially for medications with narrow therapeutic windows.

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: Are there other BSA formulas?
A: Yes, other common formulas include Du Bois, Haycock, and Gehan-George, but Mosteller is widely used due to its simplicity and reasonable accuracy.

Q4: When is BSA particularly important?
A: BSA is crucial for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric medication, and when calculating parameters like cardiac index or renal clearance.

Q5: How accurate is the Mosteller formula?
A: The Mosteller formula provides good accuracy for most clinical purposes and is easier to calculate manually than some other formulas.