Finding irregularities in mammograms that could potentially lead to breast cancer will be much easier thanks to new equipment at UPMC Horizon's Womancare Center in Hermitage.

A new computer-aided detection machine, called Second Look, screens mammogram films and highlights masses with circles and squares that may have been too small for radiologists to detect.

"We use this to assist us to find things that may be more subtle," said Dr. Scott Pickering, medical director of radiology at UPMC Horizon. "It will key us into certain areas so we will know where to look again."

The $169,000 machine arrived at the Womancare Center last week and will begin regular use on Monday. Right now, technicians and radiologists are running test slides through it.

The new machine will not replace the work of radiologists. Instead, it will assist them in the reading of films, said Glenn Riley, UPMC program director for ancillary services.

"It never will replace radiologists, but it certainly helps us out," Riley said.

A radiology technician places the film in the machine, which then reads the film and prints out a paper copy with the highlighted areas marked. The radiologist can then go back and look over those areas.

"If it concerns us or there's something suspicious, then we can take the next step," said Pickering. That next step may be ultrasound or biopsy.