helium 3


he·li·um 3

(hē'lē-ŭm), The rare stable isotope of helium (1.37 parts per million of ordinary helium); produced by the beta decay of tritium.

helium 3

3He A stable isotope of helium whose nucleus contains two protons and a single neutron. The isotope is polarizable, making it suitable as a gaseous contrast agent for use in magnetic resonance imaging. See also: helium