Estimates body surface area (BSA) in square metres with the Mosteller formula — the most widely used BSA equation in clinical practice.
Formula: BSA (m²) = √(height (cm) × weight (kg) ÷ 3600) — Mosteller, 1987. BSA is an estimate used in contexts such as burns assessment and some medication dosing; where a dose depends on it, the calculation is verified independently under local policy.
What is body surface area used for?
Body surface area estimates the body's total skin area and is used where size matters more than weight alone — for example estimating burn size and fluid needs, and calculating some medication doses that are prescribed per square metre.
What is the Mosteller formula?
BSA (m²) = the square root of (height in cm × weight in kg ÷ 3600). It was published by R. D. Mosteller in 1987 and became the most commonly used BSA formula because it is simple and matches more complex formulas closely.
What is a typical adult BSA?
Most adults fall roughly between 1.6 and 2.0 m², varying with height and weight. There is no single 'normal' value — BSA is an individual measurement used for proportionate calculations, not a health score.