BSA Calculator
Calculate Body Surface Area (BSA) using the standard Mosteller formula. Essential for medical dosage calculations.
Note: The Mosteller formula is widely used in clinical practice. If results are for life-threatening medication, always double-check with a physician.
What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?
Body Surface Area (BSA) is the measured or calculated surface area of a human body. It is often used in clinical medicine over simple Body Mass Index (BMI) because BSA is a more accurate indicator of metabolic mass.
Why Calculate BSA?
Doctors use BSA to determine the correct dosage of specific medications. This is because the volume of blood and extracellular fluid is proportional to BSA, rather than total weight.
- Chemotherapy: Anti-cancer drugs are dosed precisely based on BSA to minimize toxicity while maximizing efficacy.
- Cardiac Indexing: Used to normalize cardiac output.
- Burn Treatment: Doctors estimate the percentage of total body surface area burned.
- Glucocorticoid Dosing: Steroids are often prescribed based on BSA.
The Mosteller Formula
There are several formulas to calculate BSA (e.g., Du Bois, Haycock, Gehan & George), but the **Mosteller Formula** is the most commonly used due to its simplicity and reasonable accuracy for the general population.
Formula:
BSA = √ [ (Height × Weight) / 3600 ]
Where Height is in centimeters and Weight is in kilograms.