Body Surface Area Calculator
Determine your total Body Surface Area (BSA in square metres) using validated clinical formulas including Mosteller, Du Bois & Du Bois, Haycock, and Gehan & George. BSA is the recognized medical gold standard for precise pharmacological drug dosing, chemotherapy protocols, renal clearance indices, and cardiac hemodynamic assessments.
Standing stature in centimetres (175 cm ≈ 5 ft 9 in)
Current body weight in kilograms (70 kg ≈ 154.3 lbs)
Used for population average reference index comparison (norm: 1.9 m² male, 1.6 m² female)
Modern clinical standard formula recommended by oncology and nephrology societies
How to Use This Calculator
- Measure standing height barefoot in centimetres.
- Weigh yourself in light indoor clothing on a calibrated scale in kilograms.
- Select biological sex to display comparative population norm ratios.
- View the primary Mosteller BSA result used in modern clinical pharmacy.
- Compare alternative Du Bois, Haycock, and estimated hemodynamic indices.
Formula & Calculation Methodology
Published by Dr. R.D. Mosteller in the New England Journal of Medicine (1987). Widely adopted because of its computational simplicity and near-perfect correlation with the complex exponential Du Bois & Du Bois logarithmic equation.
Worked Example
An adult male measuring 175 cm and weighing 70 kg
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is medication dosed by BSA instead of simple body weight?↓
Metabolic rate, renal glomerular filtration rate, and blood volume correlate more closely with physiological body surface area than with gross body mass. Dosing narrow-therapeutic-index drugs (such as chemotherapy agents and monoclonal antibodies) by BSA avoids over-dosing obese patients and under-dosing lean individuals.
What is the average Body Surface Area for adult men and women?↓
The international physiological standard reference adult has a BSA of approximately 1.73 m². In contemporary adult populations, the average BSA is roughly 1.9 m² for adult men and 1.6 to 1.7 m² for adult women.
Which BSA formula is considered the most accurate in hospital settings?↓
The Mosteller formula is the most widely adopted clinical standard in North American and European oncology and pharmacy systems because it matches Du Bois within 1% while eliminating complex fractional exponents.
How does BSA relate to the Cardiac Index in cardiology?↓
Cardiac Index (CI) normalizes cardiac output (the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute) to body surface area (CI = Cardiac Output ÷ BSA). Normal resting adult values range between 2.6 and 4.2 L/min/m².
What are the main clinical limitations of Body Surface Area calculations?↓
Empirical BSA formulas estimate external surface area from two-dimensional height and weight. They do not account for fluid shifts (ascites, edema), limb amputations, or severe obesity where adipose tissue does not receive proportional drug distribution.
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Source Citation & Disclaimer
Informational tool only; not licensed tax, legal, or financial advice.