1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

Body Surface Area (BSA) is the measured or calculated surface area of the human body. It's an important measurement in medicine, particularly for calculating drug dosages and medical indicators.

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 Mosteller formula provides a simple and accurate way to estimate body surface area from height and weight measurements.

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is used to calculate medical indices like cardiac index and chemotherapy dosages, to assess burn patients, and to adjust drug doses for both children and adults.

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, validated, and widely accepted in clinical practice, providing results comparable to more complex 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 particularly important?
A: BSA is crucial for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric dosing, and in burn assessment (to estimate fluid requirements).

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