Mosteller BSA Formula | Simplified Body Surface Area Calculation
Calculate body surface area with the Mosteller formula — the simplest and most widely recommended method for clinical practice. Reference table for adults and children. Free calculator.
The Mosteller BSA Formula
The Mosteller formula, published by R.D. Mosteller in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1987, simplified BSA calculation to a single square root equation. It is now recommended by many oncology and pharmaceutical organizations as the preferred formula for clinical use due to its ease of calculation and accuracy comparable to the DuBois formula.
Mosteller Formula
BSA (m²) = √[ Height (cm) × Weight (kg) / 3600 ]
An equivalent formulation using imperial units: BSA (m²) = √[ Height (in) × Weight (lbs) / 3131 ]
Mosteller BSA Quick Reference Table
| Height (cm) | Weight (kg) | BSA — Mosteller (m²) | BSA — DuBois (m²) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | 45 | 1.369 | 1.362 | +0.007 |
| 160 | 55 | 1.561 | 1.554 | +0.007 |
| 165 | 65 | 1.731 | 1.723 | +0.008 |
| 170 | 70 | 1.826 | 1.799 | +0.027 |
| 175 | 80 | 1.972 | 1.950 | +0.022 |
| 180 | 85 | 2.062 | 2.037 | +0.025 |
Pediatric Mosteller BSA Reference
| Age (approx) | Typical Weight (kg) | Typical Height (cm) | BSA — Mosteller (m²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 3.5 | 50 | 0.221 |
| 1 year | 10 | 75 | 0.456 |
| 3 years | 14 | 95 | 0.608 |
| 5 years | 18 | 110 | 0.737 |
| 10 years | 32 | 138 | 1.109 |
| 15 years | 55 | 165 | 1.587 |
Why Mosteller Is Now the Preferred Formula
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) have both endorsed the Mosteller formula as the standard for BSA-based drug dosing. Its advantages include: (1) it requires only a basic calculator or mental math, (2) it performs comparably to DuBois across most body sizes, and (3) it is easier to verify at the point of care, reducing calculation errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close are Mosteller and DuBois results in practice?
For most adults within a healthy weight range, the two formulas differ by less than 0.03 m², which translates to a very small dosing difference. For a chemotherapy drug dosed at 100 mg/m², the difference would typically be less than 3 mg — clinically insignificant.
Is the Mosteller formula suitable for pediatric chemotherapy dosing?
The Mosteller formula is commonly used in pediatric oncology and performs well across a wide age range. However, for very young infants or extremely low body weight patients, the Haycock formula may be more appropriate. Always follow the specific pediatric protocol.