1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

Definition: BSA is the calculated surface area of the human body, often used in medical calculations.

Purpose: It's used to calculate drug dosages, medical indicators, and for various clinical assessments.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

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

Explanation: The product of height and weight is divided by 3600, then the square root is taken to get BSA in m².

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA provides a more accurate metric than body weight alone for many medical purposes, particularly for chemotherapy dosing and pediatric medicine.

4. Using the Calculator

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

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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

Q2: What's the average BSA for adults?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women.

Q3: Are there other BSA formulas?
A: Yes, including Du Bois, Haycock, and Gehan-George formulas, but Mosteller is most commonly used.

Q4: How accurate is this calculation?
A: It provides a good estimate but may not account for all individual variations in body composition.

Q5: When is BSA particularly important?
A: Especially crucial for chemotherapy, pediatric dosing, and burn assessment.