The statistics are alarming: There are 182,490 new cases of breast cancer in women so far this year; that's more than lung, colon, and oral cancer cases combined, according to the American Cancer Society.

However, there is hope for women out there when it comes to early detection. CBS News reports that U.S. scientists are experimenting with new ways to view breast X-rays in 3-D, so that today's mammograms can provide a clearer picture of any existing tumors. Some of those methods include wearing special 3-D glasses as well as using a new camera.

"It's a major issue in the field now, more and more, how to address the imaging needs of women with significant breast density," says American Cancer Society screening specialist Robert Smith. "We and women and everyone else is kind of left wondering what would be best under what circumstances."

Currently, mammograms are only capable of displaying a two-dimensional image of a surface that is not flat. However, "stereo mammograms" will enable radiologists to see those X-rays in 3-D, so that a small spot on the breast can be seen without normal tissue laying over it. Stereo mammograms work by taking separate X-rays at slightly different angles and wearing special 3-D glasses.

In a recent study, radiologists gave nearly 1,500 women at an increased risk of breast cancer both a mammogram and a stereo mammogram. As a result, the stereo mammograms increased detection of cancer by 23 percent and decreased false alarms by 46 percent.

(Photo Credit: AP/Mayo Clinic)