Philips Healthcare's Microdose Mammography truck will visit the Center for Diagnostic Imaging in St. Louis Park on Tuesday, Oct. 22, starting at 8 a.m. CDI is located at 5775 Wayzata Blvd.

The tour is part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early detection. Dr. James Sullivan, a body radiologist and breast imaging specialist at CDI, will lead a discussion about early detection, the importance of testing and the Philips low-dose system.

According to Phillips, only half of U.S. women over the age of 40 got a mammogram last year. Some of the most common reasons why women skip mammograms include fear that it may hurt and concern about exposure to radiation. A recent survey of 214 women conducted by the Alison Breast Center showed that 55 percent of respondents said radiation dose is an important factor when choosing a mammography site, Philips said.

Philips has developed the MicroDose Mammography system, which it says is the only low x-ray dose mammography system to be cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Philips says the system's radiation dose measures 18 percent to 50 pecent lower than other digital mammography systems. The average reduction is 40 percent.