1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

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

Purpose: It provides a more accurate measurement than body weight alone for determining proper medication dosages and 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 crucial for accurate medication dosing in chemotherapy, pediatric medicine, and other treatments where dosage needs to be precisely tailored to body size.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter 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 alone?
A: BSA accounts for both height and weight, providing a better estimate of metabolic mass than weight alone.

Q2: What's the accuracy of the Mosteller formula?
A: It's one of the most widely used and validated formulas, with good accuracy for most clinical applications.

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

Q4: When is BSA calculation most important?
A: Especially critical for chemotherapy, pediatric dosing, and medications with narrow therapeutic windows.

Q5: How do I convert pounds to kg and inches to cm?
A: 1 kg = 2.2 lbs; 1 inch = 2.54 cm. You can use our unit conversion tools if needed.