Body Surface Area Calculator
The calculator below computes the total surface area of a human body, referred to as body surface area (BSA). Direct measurement of BSA is difficult, and as such many formulas have been published that estimate BSA. The calculator below provides results for some of the most popular formulas.
Modify the values and click the calculate button to use:
Result:
Using a body height of 0 feet and 0 inches:
The following are the body surface area results based on popular formulas:
| Formula | Results in different units |
|---|---|
| Du Bois | |
| Mosteller | |
| Haycock | |
| Gehan & George | |
| Boyd | |
| Fujimoto | |
| Takahira | |
| Schlich |
Body Surface Area (BSA) Clinical Significance
BSA serves as a superior metric to body weight for clinical applications because it better reflects metabolic mass – the body’s energy requirements. Unlike total weight, BSA correlates with fat-free mass (all non-fat tissues including muscles, organs, bones, and blood), which represents the body’s metabolically active components.
Key Clinical Uses:
- Chemotherapy dosing (standard for most cancer treatments)
- Cardiac index calculations
- Renal function assessments
- Burn treatment protocols
Important Considerations:
- Therapeutic Index Limitations: BSA may be inadequate for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows
- Extreme Anthropometry: Accuracy decreases for very tall/short or heavy/light individuals
- Gender Differences: Some formulas account for sex-based physiological variations
Formulas Implemented (m² = W(kg)^x × H(cm)^y):
| Formula | Equation | Special Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Du Bois | 0.007184 × W^0.425 × H^0.725 | Gold standard, validated for obesity |
| Mosteller | √(W×H)/3600 | Simplified calculation |
| Haycock | 0.024265 × W^0.5378 × H^0.3964 | Pediatric/Adult通用 |
| Gehan & George | 0.0235 × W^0.51456 × H^0.42246 | Developed for chemotherapy |
| Boyd | 0.0333 × W^(0.6157-0.0188logW) × H^0.3 | Accounts for weight logarithmically |
| Fujimoto | 0.008883 × W^0.444 × H^0.663 | Japanese population data |
| Takahira | 0.007241 × W^0.425 × H^0.725 | Japanese adaptation of Du Bois |
| Schlich | Gender-specific exponents | 3D body scan validation |
Note: All formulas return surface area in square meters (m²). For drugs with narrow therapeutic indices, consider therapeutic drug monitoring alongside BSA calculations.