1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

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

Purpose: It's used to calculate medical indicators like cardiac index, chemotherapy dosages, and glomerular filtration rate.

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 product of weight and height 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 measure of metabolic mass than body weight alone, as it's less affected by abnormal adipose mass.

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 Mosteller formula instead of others?
A: Mosteller is simple, validated, and widely accepted in clinical practice.

Q2: How accurate is this calculation?
A: For most adults, it's accurate within 1-2%, but may be less accurate for extreme body types.

Q3: Can I use pounds and inches?
A: No, this calculator requires metric units (kg and cm). Convert first if needed (1 kg = 2.2 lbs, 1 in = 2.54 cm).

Q4: What's a normal BSA range?
A: Average is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women.

Q5: How does BSA differ from BMI?
A: BMI estimates body fat based on weight/height ratio, while BSA measures actual surface area for medical dosing.