The University of Pennsylvania features a scanner that helps mammography and other tools. It is a very small tool (10 cm wide by 10 cm long) that aims to detect breast tumors.
It has diodes to scan the chest. Through them it emits light (near infrared zone) and receives its behavior. The light easily crosses water and fat (main components of the chest) and penetrates up to five centimeters. However, the presence of a tumor in the pathway is an obstacle to light -- the tumor is usually surrounded by numerous blood vessels and the vessels absorb the lumina-.
As seen, the tool is easy to use, it should only be taken in the hand and passed around the chest, so it can be used by both doctors and women at risk of cancer. In addition, it has a great advantage, since it detects the tumor of recent creation.