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.

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

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is used to calculate drug dosages for chemotherapy, cardiac index, and other medical parameters where body size is important for proper dosing.

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, making it 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 significantly with body size.

Q3: When is BSA most important?
A: Particularly important for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric dosing, and when calculating cardiac index or other indexed parameters.

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

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