Medical device maker Hologic Inc. said Tuesday that it received U.S. regulatory approval for its Trident specimen radiography system, used to examine tissue samples for signs of cancer.

Trident is designed to be used in the operating room, eliminating the need for samples to be taken to the radiology department for X-ray imaging. That could help trim procedure time for patients, Hologic said. The device was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates medical devices in the US.

The Bedford, Mass., company said the device is specially designed to address the needs of surgeons performing breast biopsies.