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. Mosteller Formula Explained

The Mosteller formula is a simple and widely used method to estimate BSA:

Where:

• \( W \) — Weight in kilograms (kg)
• \( H \) — Height in centimeters (cm)
• \( BSA \) — Result in square meters (m²)

Explanation: The formula calculates BSA by taking the square root of the product of weight and height divided by 3600. It's one of the most commonly used formulas due to its simplicity and reasonable accuracy.

3. Clinical Importance of BSA

Details: BSA is used to calculate drug dosages for chemotherapy, cardiac index, and other medical parameters where dosage depends on body size rather than weight alone.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. Both values must be positive numbers. The result will be displayed in square meters (m²).

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 against more complex methods. It's 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. Children have smaller values that increase with age.

Q3: When is BSA used in medicine?
A: Commonly used for chemotherapy dosing, calculating cardiac index, and adjusting drug doses for pediatric patients.

Q4: Are there limitations to BSA calculations?
A: BSA doesn't account for body composition differences (muscle vs fat). Other methods may be needed for obese or extremely muscular individuals.

Q5: How accurate is the Mosteller formula?
A: It's generally accurate within 5-10% of measured values for most individuals, making it suitable for clinical use.