In the fight against breast cancer, timing is everything.  There's a device that could help some women avoid unnecessary trips back to the doctor's office.

Radiologist Greg Dunn will tell you early detection can be the difference between life and death.

For doctors trying to detect cancer, large breasts can be a challenge.  That's where a cutting-edge $400,000 tomosynthesis machine comes in.

"Most beneficial for people with dense breasts," said Dunn.

It looks like a normal mammography machine, but what makes it different is that its camera moves 15 degrees from above and takes an image at each angle.

The multiple images are then converted into a three-dimensional image for radiologists to see.

"The overlapping tissues will melt away or blend out of picture whereas a true mast will stay right there," said Dunn.

The final product is a more complete picture of the breast tissue.

But this new technology is not a cure-all.

"It's not a super magic identifier like if used all breast cancer is found," said Dunn.  "But it is a tool that improves mammography for patients."