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Eastman Kodak Co. (EK), the world's biggest maker of photographic film, on Monday said the Food and Drug Administration (search) has approved its computer-aided mammography system.

Rochester, N.Y.-based Kodak, which is trying to transform into a digital imaging company to offset its declining traditional film business, said it will immediately begin shipping its Kodak Mammography CAD System to U.S. healthcare facilities.

While the majority of U.S. hospitals and radiology facilities still depend on traditional film-based X-rays, rapid growth in the use of digital technology (search) is expected in the next several years.

Kodak said its mammography CAD software uses algorithms to help identify suspicious areas on patients' digitized mammograms (search) so radiologists can closely examine the regions for possible disease during a second review.