What is Body Surface Area?
Body Surface Area (BSA) represents the total external surface area of the human body. Physiologists and doctors believe BSA is a more accurate indicator of metabolic mass than body weight alone. This makes it particularly important in medicine.
Common Uses
- Chemotherapy Dosing: Many cancer drugs are dosed per square meter of body surface area to ensure effectiveness while minimizing toxicity.
- Cardiac Index: Assessing heart performance relative to body size (Cardiac Output / BSA).
- Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR): Normalizing renal function measurements.
- Burn Assessment: Estimating the percentage of body surface affected by burns.
Formulas Explained
Mosteller Formula
BSA (m²) = √([Height(cm) x Weight(kg)] / 3600)
Simplest and most widely used in clinical practice today.
Du Bois Formula
BSA (m²) = 0.007184 × W^0.425 × H^0.725
The historical "gold standard" developed in 1916.