1. What is the Mosteller Formula?

The Mosteller formula is a simple and widely used method for calculating body surface area (BSA) from a person's weight and height. It provides a more accurate measure of metabolic mass than body weight alone, which is important for many medical applications.

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 settings including chemotherapy dosing, calculating cardiac index, determining renal clearance, and adjusting drug dosages for both children and adults.

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, validated, and widely accepted in clinical practice. It provides results comparable to more complex formulas.

Q2: What are normal BSA values?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women. Values vary significantly with body size.

Q3: When is BSA measurement most important?
A: Particularly important for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric dosing, and when adjusting medications for patients at extremes of body size.

Q4: Are there limitations to this formula?
A: Like all BSA formulas, it's less accurate for very obese or very lean individuals. Clinical judgment should always be used.

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.