PUBLIC LIBRARY / CALCULATOR

Body surface area and BMI

Calculates BSA and BMI used to index echo volumes/masses, cardiac output and drug doses.

Calculate with transparency

Check the population, units and version. The result shows the formula or classification; it does not make an automatic treatment decision.

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Method · Limits of application

Mosteller 1987 √(cm×kg/3600); DuBois 1916 coefficient 0.007184, powers 0.425/0.725; separate BMI

Enter height in cm and weight in kg; the result is an estimated body surface area in m², distinct from BMI. Mosteller and Du Bois are different equations, not direct surface measurements. The cited 2012 ASCO guideline addresses cytotoxic chemotherapy dosing in obese adults with cancer and does not cover novel targeted agents of that edition. Calculating surface area does not define a dose, a surface-area cap or an indication: the decision must follow the specific protocol and medicine, without deriving universal limits from that reference.

Conditions of use

Check the population, units, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and version in the original source. A result alone does not establish a diagnosis, discharge decision or prescription.

Documented parameters

Weight · kg
Height · cm

2/2 reference cases checked. Numerical tests are not clinical validation.

Sources and documentation

Documented formula

Transcribed from the source or a recorded revision; this is not a clinical recommendation.

Mosteller: BSA (m²) = √(height [cm] × weight [kg] ÷ 3600)
DuBois: BSA (m²) = 0.007184 × weight^0.425 × height^0.725
BMI = weight ÷ height² (m)

References

Identifier: superficie-corporal

Original clinical content: Brazilian Portuguese.

Method version

Mosteller 1987 √(cm×kg/3600); DuBois 1916 coefficient 0.007184, powers 0.425/0.725; separate BMI

superficie-corporal@native-2026-10-05+8e68a2a807dc

Source for the active edition

The bibliographic edition identifies the source. By itself, it proves neither full conformity of the formula nor clinical approval.

Synthetic cases checked (2)

Synthetic cases for checking the implementation, with no patient data.

Case 1

reference-001

Inputs

Weight: 70 kg
Height: 170 cm

{
  "peso": 70,
  "altura": 170
}

Expected result

{
  "mosteller": 1.818,
  "dubois": 1.81,
  "imc": 24.22
}

Actual result

{
  "mosteller": 1.818118685772619,
  "dubois": 1.809707801753247,
  "imc": 24.221453287197235
}

Case 2

reference-002

Inputs

Weight: 50 kg
Height: 160 cm

{
  "peso": 50,
  "altura": 160
}

Expected result

{
  "mosteller": 1.4907,
  "imc": 19.53
}

Actual result

{
  "mosteller": 1.4907119849998598,
  "dubois": 1.501120524208146,
  "imc": 19.531249999999996
}

Code and reproducibility

This tool’s code on GitHub

Download code and tests

Sources, version and reproduction instructions

README

Local installation

Code license: Apache-2.0

Guidelines and conditions

This repository’s license applies to the code. Third-party instruments, questionnaires, data and models remain subject to their owners’ conditions.

The code tests are technical checks. Clinical approval and professional translation review are recorded separately.

Relationship with cancer research

Support for research — context required

A supporting anthropometric measure. Dose conversion is relevant only when prescribed by the protocol; body surface area does not determine treatment.

Applications: Pharmacology

Pediatric cancer

The Mosteller formula was compared in 666 Chinese children aged 1–14 years with ALL in a chemotherapy/HDMTX setting (Wu et al., 2022). This link documents anthropometric use in the described setting; the comparator was the mean of nine formulas, not measured body surface area. The study does not establish suitability for children younger than 1 year, dose selection, or adult BMI classification.

DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.989049