1. What is Body Surface Area?

Body Surface Area (BSA) is the measured or calculated surface area of the human body. It is used in many medical measurements including medication dosages and medical classifications.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

• \( Height \) — Height in centimeters
• \( Weight \) — Weight in kilograms

Explanation: The formula calculates BSA in square meters by taking the square root of the product of height and weight divided by 3600.

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is used to calculate medical indicators like cardiac index, chemotherapy dosages, and glomerular filtration rate. It's more accurate than body weight alone for many medical purposes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter height in centimeters and weight in kilograms. Both values must be greater than zero for accurate calculation.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use BSA instead of body weight?
A: BSA correlates better with many physiological phenomena that don't scale directly with body weight, like metabolic rate.

Q2: What are normal BSA values?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women, but varies with body size.

Q3: Are there other BSA formulas?
A: Yes, other formulas include Du Bois, Haycock, and Gehan-George formulas, but Mosteller is widely used for its simplicity.

Q4: How accurate is this calculation?
A: The Mosteller formula is accurate for most clinical purposes, though individual variations exist.

Q5: Should this be used for pediatric patients?
A: Yes, BSA is particularly important for pediatric medication dosing, though some specific drugs may use weight-based dosing.