The State Government has dedicated $26 million towards the upgrade and intends to increase the number of women being screened and detected.

Independent Dubbo MP Dawn Fardell officially opened the enhanced Dubbo Breast Screen Unit yesterday and used the occasion to urge local women to take advantage of the service.

"With the upgrade to the local breast screen service, women in Dubbo and surrounding areas now have access to the very latest cancer detection technology available anywhere in the world," Ms Fardell said.

Operations manager from the Cancer institute, Mark Costello, and Director of Breast Screen Greater Western, Scott Maunder said early detection is important.

"Four to five women per 1000 screened we find cancer before their doctor can detect it," Mr Maunder said.

"This increases the treatment options available to women and it is important that women utilise the service to detect cancer at an early stage."

State radiographer for breast screen NSW, Jill Miller was also present during the introduction.

"Survival rates have improved by 18 percent in the last 10 years," Ms Miller said.

"The services are here and they are free."

The new digital screening equipment enables a much higher quality image to be taken of the breast tissue than previously possible with x-rays.

Digital mammography will increase the chance of detecting abnormailities in younger women, as they have a much denser breast tissue.

The technology will enable high quality breast screen images to be transmitted electronically from screening centres across rural and regional areas, to central x-ray reading rooms for analysis by experienced radiologists.

"This digital technology will provide doctors with clearer images, faster results and better early detection - ultimately saving lives," Ms Fardell said.

At the moment there are 500 appointments this year yet to be filled and there will be access to a mobile breast screen van to those women in Walgett, Coonamble, Coonabarabran, Mudgee, Coolah, Dunedoo, Gilgandra, Wellington and Rylestone in 2008.

The digital breast screen clinic in Dubbo will be able to screen about 3,000 women each year.