1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

Body Surface Area (BSA) is a measurement of the total surface area of the human body. It's often used in medical practice to calculate drug dosages and medical indicators. The Mosteller formula provides a simple way to estimate BSA using just height and 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 in many medical contexts including chemotherapy dosing, calculating cardiac index, and determining renal clearance rates. It's considered more accurate than body weight alone for these purposes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. All values must be valid (weight > 0, height > 0). For accurate results, measurements should be recent and precise.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use Mosteller formula instead of others?
A: The Mosteller formula is simple, validated, and widely accepted. It's recommended for general clinical use due to its accuracy and ease of calculation.

Q2: What are typical BSA values?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men, but varies with body size. Normal range is approximately 1.5-2.0 m² for most adults.

Q3: How does BSA differ between men and women?
A: Men typically have slightly larger BSA than women of the same height due to differences in body composition, though the calculation formula is the same.

Q4: When is BSA particularly important?
A: BSA is crucial for dosing of chemotherapy drugs, toxic medications, and in burn cases where fluid replacement is calculated based on BSA.

Q5: 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 muscular or obese individuals.