Mammography-apparatus (1) for detecting malignant cells (8) in a breast (2) comprising an x-ray source (3) and an x-ray detector (4) that cooperates with the x-ray source (3) for providing an x-ray image of said breast (2), and fur- ther com-prising a paddle (5) for flattening the breast (2) by pressing it against said x-ray detector (4), wherein a control system (10) is provided which controls the actuation of the paddle (5) according to a desired compression force that is to be applied to the breast (2), wherein the apparatus (1) com- prises data entry means for inputting an estimated volume of the breast (2) and/or an imaging system (6) for the breast (2) which is connected to processing means (7) for estimating a volume (V) of the breast (2) as imaged with the imaging system (6), and wherein the control system (10) is connected to the data entry means and/or the processing means (7) and arranged to convert the estimated volume (V) of the breast (2) into a desired compression force (F) with which the paddle (5) must compress the breast (2).
