1. What is the Mosteller BSA Calculator?

Definition: This calculator estimates body surface area (BSA) using the Mosteller formula, which is widely used in medical practice.

Purpose: BSA is important for calculating medication dosages, chemotherapy regimens, and other medical parameters where body size matters more than weight alone.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

• \( BSA \) — Body Surface Area (square meters)
• \( W \) — Weight (kilograms)
• \( H \) — Height (centimeters)

Explanation: The formula takes the square root of the product of weight and height divided by 3600 to estimate body surface area.

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA provides a more accurate measure of metabolic mass than body weight alone, which is crucial for proper drug dosing and medical assessments.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the patient's weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. Both values must be greater than 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use BSA instead of weight for dosing?
A: BSA better correlates with metabolic processes and drug distribution in the body than weight alone.

Q2: How accurate is the Mosteller formula?
A: It's one of the most accurate and simplest BSA formulas, with about 95% correlation with more complex methods.

Q3: When is BSA used in medicine?
A: Commonly used for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric medication, and calculating cardiac indices.

Q4: What's a normal BSA range?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women, but varies with body size.

Q5: Are there other BSA formulas?
A: Yes, including DuBois & DuBois, Haycock, and Boyd formulas, but Mosteller is most commonly used.