Body Surface Area: The Complete Clinical Guide
BSA formulas, chemotherapy dosing, cardiac index, GFR normalisation, and paediatric drug dosing
What Is Body Surface Area?
Body surface area (BSA) is the measured or calculated surface area of the human body. Because BSA correlates better with metabolic mass and organ function than weight alone, it is used as the basis for dosing many chemotherapy agents, normalising physiological parameters (cardiac index, GFR), and calculating paediatric drug doses. The Mosteller formula is the most widely used in clinical practice due to its simplicity and accuracy.
Mosteller Formula (Recommended)
BSA (m²) = √ [Height (cm) × Weight (kg) / 3600]
Typical adult BSA: 1.6–1.9 m² (men), 1.5–1.8 m² (women)
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- Mosteller RD. Simplified calculation of body surface area. N Engl J Med. 1987;317(17):1098.
- DuBois D, DuBois EF. A formula to estimate the approximate surface area if height and weight be known. Arch Intern Med. 1916;17(6):863-871.
- Haycock GB, Schwartz GJ, Wisotsky DH. Geometric method for measuring body surface area. J Pediatr. 1978;93(1):62-66.
⚠️ Medical Disclaimer: BSA calculation is for educational and documentation purposes only. All drug doses must be verified by a qualified pharmacist. MedDraftPro accepts no clinical liability.