🧍

Body Surface Area (Mosteller)

Body surface area via Mosteller formula — most common in oncology for drug dosing

General
📄Mosteller RD (1987). N Engl J Med.PMID 3657876
⚕️

Clinical reference only. Not a substitute for professional medical judgment. Verify all results against institutional protocols before clinical use.

Calculate

For clinical reference only. Confirm chemotherapy dosing with hospital oncology protocols and prescribing guidelines.

Formula

BSA (m²) = √((height[cm] × weight[kg]) / 3600)
heightHeight (cm)
weightWeight (kg)

When to Use

Used primarily in oncology for chemotherapy dosing, and in cardiology for calculating cardiac index (CI = CO / BSA).

Clinical Pearls

  • Average adult BSA is approximately 1.7 m² (range 1.5–2.0 m²).
  • Mosteller formula is preferred over DuBois in oncology due to simplicity and accuracy.
  • Use ideal body weight in obese patients for some chemotherapy agents — confirm with protocol.

Original Publication

Mosteller RD (1987). N Engl J Med.

View on PubMed (PMID 3657876) ↗