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 determining medication dosages and medical indicators.

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 Mosteller formula is one of the most widely used BSA calculation methods due to its simplicity and accuracy.

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is used in many medical applications including chemotherapy dosing, cardiac index calculations, and renal function assessments.

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 against more complex methods, making it 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, but varies with body size.

Q3: When is BSA most important?
A: BSA is particularly important for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric medication, and when calculating cardiac or renal indices.

Q4: Are there limitations to BSA calculations?
A: BSA doesn't account for body composition (muscle vs fat) and may not be accurate for very muscular or obese individuals.

Q5: Can I use pounds and inches?
A: This calculator uses metric units. For imperial units, convert weight to kg (1 lb = 0.4536 kg) and height to cm (1 inch = 2.54 cm).