1. What is the Mosteller BSA Formula?

The Mosteller formula is a simple and widely used method to calculate body surface area (BSA) from weight and height. It's commonly used in medical practice for drug dosing and clinical measurements.

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 the square root of the product of weight and height divided by 3600.

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is used to calculate medical indicators like cardiac index and chemotherapy dosages. It provides a more accurate measure of metabolic mass than body weight alone.

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 instead of other BSA formulas?
A: Mosteller is simple, validated, and widely accepted. It's accurate for both children and adults.

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 used in medicine?
A: Commonly used for chemotherapy dosing, cardiac output calculations, and renal function assessments.

Q4: Are there limitations to this formula?
A: Less accurate for extremely obese or cachectic patients. Other formulas may be better in these cases.

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