This paper proposes an analytical method to determine the stress distribution in an elastic body using the stress measured on the surface. The basic equation is derived from the boundary integral equation approach introducing a point source which produces displacement and stress fields in the elastic body. The point source is called as a body force dipole and composed of two same body forces acting in the opposite directions at the same location. The basic solutions on the displacement and stress fields by a body force dipole are derived theoretically and are confirmed numerically that they produce the same fields generated by a pair of body forces. Then the input conditions are discussed how the location, the number and the components of known surface stress effect on the accuracy of the inverse analysis of the body force dipole distribution. The results show that only the tangential stress component measured on the surface should be used in the inverse analysis.