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Region Syddanmark has launched an AI Mammography Solution Procurement to bolster breast cancer screening and ease a nationwide shortage of mammographers. The retender covers Southern Denmark and includes an option for Central Denmark Region, aiming to maintain screening standards as incidence rises and to redeploy specialist staff to other diagnostic tasks.

Scope and scale

Published in October 2025, the procurement seeks an IT system that supports the first reader in the screening workflow and offers decision support in clinical mammography. The solution will be installed across the four hospital units that perform mammography in Southern Denmark: Odense University Hospital, Lillebælt Hospital, Southern Jutland Hospital, and Esbjerg/Grindsted Hospital.

The option for Region Midtjylland would extend deployment to Aarhus University Hospital, Viborg Regional Hospital, and Randers Regional Hospital.

The tender is shaped by substantial throughput across both regions:

• Region Southern Denmark: about 70,000 screening exams a year, plus around 17,000 clinical mammography exams, with an estimated 10% of clinical exams conducted as tomosynthesis.
• Region Central Denmark: around 65,000 screening exams and about 15,000 clinical mammography exams per year.

Each screening exam comprises four X-ray images (two standard projections per breast). For patients with previous breast cancer and breast-conserving surgery, a third projection is added.

Why now: rising demand and limited capacity

Denmark expects a rise in breast cancer cases from roughly 4,800 in 2024 to about 5,310 in 2028. Screening and treatment aligned with best practice are seen as critical to reducing mortality and morbidity. At the same time, the system faces a shortage of mammographers and growing demand for mammography diagnostics. Current practice requires two independent readers for each image, with a third reviewer in case of disagreement—an effective but labour-intensive safeguard.

AI tools based on deep learning have progressed in detecting breast cancer in mammograms, and the region intends to use them to help sustain screening capacity and quality. The procurement states two core aims:

• Maintain national screening requirements in the future.
• Free up mammographer resources for other breast cancer diagnostic work.

What the contract covers

The tender brings together technology, implementation and long-term support. It includes:

• The AI system itself.
• Installation, setup, operation and calibration.
• Training for radiologists, system administrators and operational staff.
• Maintenance and support.

Optional elements give the regions room to expand use and capacity:

• Use of the AI solution in clinical mammography.
• Support for tomosynthesis (3D) in screening.
• Purchase of additional screenings.

Acceptance testing in Southern Denmark is expected to be approved in early June 2026.

How it fits Nordic and EU trends

The move in Southern and Central Denmark mirrors a broader pattern: health systems are investing in new mammography capacity and digital support to manage rising volumes and ensure timely diagnosis.

Several nearby procurements underline the shift towards AI-enabled reading and upgraded imaging platforms:

• In March 2025, Sweden’s Region Dalarna sought AI-based image review support for mammography, a close parallel to Denmark’s focus on first-reader assistance.
• In July 2025, Malta’s Department of Contracts tendered the supply of AI diagnosis systems in mammography, bundling software with hardware such as energy-efficient computers and monitors.
• In December 2024, Region Nordjylland opened a market dialogue on mammography equipment, signalling further upgrades to both clinical and screening apparatus in Denmark.
• Earlier, in September 2023, Region Hovedstaden flagged a plan to procure clinical mammography services for priority patient groups, reflecting capacity pressures and the need for timely diagnostics beyond the screening programme.
• Across the EU, hospitals continue to refresh hardware: in February 2024, Lapland’s wellbeing services region sought a direct digital mammography device with tomosynthesis and biopsy capability, while in March 2024 Kanta-Häme sought a new unit with tomosynthesis, biopsy and contrast capability for Ahvenisto Hospital.
• Elsewhere, major investments are targeting 3D capability and accessories. In October 2022, the Lazio Region in Italy launched a centralised tender for digital mammograms with tomosynthesis, while in July 2025 a German hospital group set out to procure a digital 3D mammography system with tomosynthesis.

The Danish retender also fits a pattern of cross-regional collaboration on clinical technology. In April 2024, Region Midtjylland led a framework for EMG equipment with options for neighbouring regions to join—echoing how the AI mammography system could expand if Central Denmark exercises its option.

Operational focus: from training to tomosynthesis

Successful deployment will rest on integration and user readiness as much as on algorithms. The contract covers setup, calibration and training for radiologists and system operators, then maintenance. Optional tomosynthesis support for screening acknowledges the growing use of 3D imaging, already prominent in several European procurements. The ability to extend AI support into clinical mammography also matters as more patients are referred into coordinated diagnostic pathways.

The pathway from award to approval is clearly signposted, with acceptance testing in Southern Denmark expected to be approved in early June 2026. That allows time for technical integration and for staff to adapt to a first-reader support model within existing double-reading protocols.

What to watch

Key milestones will include confirmation of whether Region Midtjylland exercises its option, the scope of optional tomosynthesis support in screening, and the planned acceptance testing in early June 2026. Given parallel Nordic and EU procurements—from AI image review services to 3D-capable hardware—the Danish rollout will be one to watch for evidence on throughput, reader workload and how AI decision support is adopted in both screening and clinical settings.

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