1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

Definition: BSA is the calculated surface area of a human body, often used in medical practice for medication dosing and physiological measurements.

Purpose: It provides a more accurate measurement than body weight alone for determining proper drug dosages and medical parameters.

2. How Does the Mosteller Formula Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

• \( \text{BSA} \) — 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 crucial for accurate dosing of chemotherapy drugs, calculating cardiac index, and determining renal clearance rates.

4. Using the Calculator

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

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use Mosteller's formula?
A: It's simple to calculate and has been validated against more complex methods, making it widely accepted in clinical practice.

Q2: What's the average BSA for adults?
A: The 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 DuBois & DuBois, Haycock, and Boyd formulas, but Mosteller is most commonly used today.

Q4: How accurate is this calculator?
A: It provides clinically acceptable accuracy for most medical purposes when using correct weight and height measurements.

Q5: Can I use pounds and inches?
A: This calculator requires metric units (kg and cm) for the Mosteller formula. Convert imperial units first.