Body Surface Area (DuBois Formula) Calculator
Calculate body surface area using the DuBois & DuBois formula from height and weight in metric or imperial units.
Use the Body Surface Area (DuBois Formula) Calculator
Enter Measurements
Result
Enter height and weight, then click Calculate.
Reference range: Typical adult BSA is 1.6–2.0 m². The commonly used reference value in cardiology is 1.73 m². BSA varies with age and body size.
Clinical disclaimer: Calculations are for educational and informational reference only and must not replace verified oncology dosing protocols or physician assessment.
Summary
The DuBois & DuBois formula (1916) is one of the most widely used equations for estimating body surface area: BSA (m²) = 0.007184 × height(cm)^0.725 × weight(kg)^0.425. BSA is used in clinical medicine to dose chemotherapy drugs, calculate cardiac index, and estimate renal clearance. This calculator accepts both metric (cm, kg) and imperial (ft/in, lb) input and displays the result in square meters. Calculations are for educational and informational reference only and must not replace verified oncology dosing protocols.
How it works
- Select your preferred unit system — metric (cm / kg) or imperial (ft, in / lb).
- Enter your height and weight in the input fields.
- The calculator applies the DuBois formula: BSA = 0.007184 × H^0.725 × W^0.425.
- The result appears instantly in square meters (m²) along with a normal-range reference.
- Imperial values are converted to cm and kg internally before the formula runs.
Use cases
- Calculating chemotherapy drug doses that scale with body surface area.
- Estimating cardiac index (cardiac output ÷ BSA) in cardiology.
- Determining adjusted drug doses for patients with unusual body composition.
- Teaching medical students the DuBois formula and its clinical context.
- Cross-checking BSA values from other calculators or clinical references.
- Research and academic exercises comparing BSA estimation methods.