pertaining to the bile, to the bile ducts, or to the gallbladder. biliary catheter (biliary decompression catheter) a catheter inserted via a skin incision through the liver and common bile duct into the duodenum.
Not all of the atoms of a radioisotope decay at the same time, but they decay at a rate that is characteristic to the isotope. The rate of decay is a fixed rate called a half-life. The half-life of a radioisotope describes how long it takes for half of the atoms in a given mass to decay.
The time needed for half of the nuclei in a sample to decay is the âhalf-life.â Measured half-lives vary from 10 -22 seconds to over 10 10 years (10 17 seconds) â an enormous range! Note that two half-lives do NOT make a âwhole lifeâ.After half of the atoms decay, we reset the clock.he time needed for half of the nuclei in a sample to decay is the âhalf-life.â Measured half-lives vary from 10 -22 seconds to over 10 10 years (10 17 seconds) â an enormous range! Note that two half-lives do NOT make a âwhole lifeâ.