Researchers found that 3-D imaging increased early detection by 29 percent and significantly cut down the number of false positives.
"Anything we can do to pick up cancers that are smaller and at an earlier stage is a huge improvement," said Dr. Elisa Port, Chief of Breast Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital.
The study involved nearly a half a million breast scans.
More than one-third used the new 3-D imaging along with the traditional scans.
Researchers were able to identify tumors like this one that previously could have been missed.
"A lot of these women did not have to come back for additional imaging," said Dr. Alice Rim with the Cleveland Clinic.
The 3D imagine machines do give off more radiation than a traditional mammogram and they are also more expensive, which means for now, they are still rare.
Doctors say that more research needs to be done and this type of scan may not be right for all women.
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