1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

Definition: BSA is the measured or calculated surface area of the human body, often used in medical practice for drug dosage calculations and physiological measurements.

Purpose: It provides a more accurate metric than body weight alone for determining many medical parameters.

2. How Does the Mosteller Formula Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

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

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 for calculating:

• Drug dosages (chemotherapy, antibiotics)
• Cardiac index and other physiological measurements
• Renal clearance rates
• Burn assessment

4. Using the Calculator

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

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use BSA instead of weight alone?
A: BSA correlates better with many physiological processes than body weight alone, especially for drugs that affect metabolic processes.

Q2: How accurate is the Mosteller formula?
A: It's one of the most widely used and validated BSA formulas, with good accuracy for most clinical purposes.

Q3: Are there other BSA formulas?
A: Yes, including DuBois & DuBois, Haycock, and Boyd formulas, but Mosteller is simplest and widely accepted.

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: Can I use pounds and inches?
A: This calculator requires metric units. Convert pounds to kg (1 lb = 0.453592 kg) and inches to cm (1 in = 2.54 cm).