BSA Calculator - Mosteller Formula

Mosteller Formula:

\[ BSA (m²) = \sqrt{\frac{W \times H}{3600}} \]

Body Surface Area (BSA):

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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 an estimate of the total surface area of the human body, which is important for many medical calculations.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

\[ BSA (m²) = \sqrt{\frac{W \times H}{3600}} \]

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 contexts including chemotherapy dosing, calculating cardiac index, and determining appropriate drug dosages for medications that have narrow therapeutic indices.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. All values must be valid (weight > 0, height > 0).

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 in both pediatric and adult populations.

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 most important?
A: Particularly important for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric dosing, and medications with narrow therapeutic windows.

Q4: Are there limitations to this formula?
A: Like all BSA formulas, it's an estimate and may be less accurate for extremely obese or muscular individuals.

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) first.