1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

Body Surface Area (BSA) is the measured or calculated surface area of the human body. It's an important measurement in medicine, particularly for calculating drug dosages and medical indicators.

2. How Does the BSA Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

• \( W \) — Weight in kilograms (kg)
• \( H \) — Height in centimeters (cm)

Explanation: The formula calculates body surface area by taking 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 parameters like cardiac index, chemotherapy dosages, and glomerular filtration rate. It provides a more accurate measure than body weight alone for many medical purposes.

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 BSA instead of body weight for drug dosing?
A: BSA correlates better with metabolic processes and organ size than body weight alone, making it more accurate for many medications.

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: Are there other BSA formulas?
A: Yes, other formulas include Du Bois, Haycock, and Gehan-George, but Mosteller is most commonly used for its simplicity and accuracy.

Q4: When is BSA most important?
A: Particularly crucial for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric medicine, and burn treatment calculations.

Q5: How accurate is this formula?
A: The Mosteller formula has been validated against direct measurements and shows good correlation, though individual variations exist.