Variables
Description
What is this formula?
The Body Surface Area (BSA) formula estimates the total external surface area of the human body. The Mosteller equation is one of the most widely used methods because of its simplicity and good clinical accuracy.
When to use it
Use this formula when calculating medication dosages, chemotherapy protocols, cardiac indices, physiological parameters, or metabolic requirements.
Example
Data:
H = 175 cm
W = 70 kg
Formula:
BSA = √((H × W) / 3600)
Substitution:
BSA = √((175 × 70) / 3600)
BSA = √(3.4028)
Result:
BSA = 1.84 m²
The estimated body surface area is approximately 1.84 square meters.
Applications
- Drug dosing
- Chemotherapy planning
- Cardiology
- Critical care medicine
- Physiological normalization of clinical parameters
Note
This formula is an empirical approximation known as the Mosteller equation. Several alternative equations exist, including those of Du Bois, Haycock, Gehan and George, and Boyd. Small differences between methods may occur, particularly in children, obese individuals, and patients with unusual body proportions.