SAN DIEGO -- A new study shows if radiologists use a computer-aided detection system with mammograms, it can help them catch more cancers earlier.

"I do self exams and did not detect a lump or anything," said Phyllis Zawacki, a breast cancer patient.

Three months ago, following her regular mammogram screening, Zawacki got some startling news -- her mammogram showed signs of pre-cancerous cells in her breast.

"Up close you can see ... what we call a cluster of little sand-like micro calcifications," said Dr. Harry Ellison, a radiologist from Sharp Grossmont.

Cancer cells as small as grains of sand are difficult for radiologists to distinguish on mammograms, but now they have a second pair of eyes, 10News reported.

What helped Ellison zero in on Zawacki's pre-cancerous cells was a computer-aided detection system.

"If I had missed this because it was so small, I would have looked at this and said, 'I should take another look at that,' and I would have seen it," Ellison said.

A new study shows computer-aided detection system, or CAD mammography, helps radiologists detect more breast cancers and find smaller tumors in younger women.

The study found that CAD mammography picked up 16 percent more breast cancers than just having the radiologist read the mammogram without the computer.

The mammograms are scanned into a computer and bar-coded. Then, the radiologist looks at the mammogram and the computer version.

"It has helped me multiple times where I will pass by a mammogram and then it will make me re-look at it," Ellison said.

When Ellison looked at Zawacki's mammogram for the first time, the computer flagged suspicious areas for him.

"It was unbelievable how tiny it was and they caught it that early," Zawacki said.

She said she is grateful the abnormal cells were discovered early.

"If I let it go -- possibly in five years -- it could been cancerous," Zawacki said.

She realizes her future could have been a lot different.

"I am not someone who has to go through radiation or (chemotherapy). I am doing fine," Zawacki said.

Doctors say small invasive cancers are more likely to be fatal if they are not detected early, especially in younger women.