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

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is used in many medical applications including chemotherapy dosing, calculating cardiac index, and determining renal clearance.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. Both values must be positive numbers.

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.

Q2: What are typical BSA values?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women.

Q3: When is BSA used in medicine?
A: BSA is commonly used for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric doses, and calculating various physiological parameters.

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

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