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 in many medical applications including chemotherapy dosing, calculating cardiac index, and determining appropriate fluid resuscitation volumes.

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 against more complex methods. It's widely accepted in clinical practice.

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 dosing of chemotherapeutic agents, monoclonal antibodies, and other drugs with narrow therapeutic windows.

Q4: Are there limitations to this calculation?
A: The formula may be less accurate in extremely obese or cachectic patients, and in children.

Q5: Can I use pounds and inches?
A: The calculator requires metric units (kg and cm) for accuracy. Convert pounds to kg (1 lb = 0.453592 kg) and inches to cm (1 inch = 2.54 cm) first.