Facility Vallejo Medical Center Department of Radiology Address 975 Sereno Drive Vallejo CA 94589 Map & Directions Telephone Information: (707) 651-1000 E-mail your doctor View your preventive services

Department Hours

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
8:30 am 5:00 pm	7:00 am 10:00 pm	7:00 am 10:00 pm	7:00 am 10:00 pm	7:00 am 10:00 pm	7:00 am 10:00 pm	8:30 am 5:00 pm

I grew up in Houston, Texas. While in high school, I was a National Science Foundation Fellow at M.D. Anderson Hospital in the Biochemistry Department. This is where I authored my first of 29 medical publications. I continued working at M.D. Anderson Hospital during summer vacations from the University of Texas. At UT (Hook 'em Horns) I was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority, Plan II (an honors program), Junior Fellows (Dean's Honor Group) and Phi Beta Kappa. I returned to Houston for Medical School, married a classmate, and graduated cum laude in 1970 as a member of AOA (the medical Honor Society). My husband (a Californian) dragged me kicking and screaming to California, which I have since grown to love, not missing Houston's humidity one bit! My only child, Liesl Peterson, was born one night while I was working as an intern at San Francisco General Hospital (she is now a veterinarian in San Ramon with two PERFECT sons).

Widowed in 1985, I met and married my soul mate Tom in 1996. He has three grown children and four grandchildren. Tom and I enjoy kayaking, hiking, traveling, and grand parenting. I am crazy about gardening--my favorite way of relaxing.

Because of my wonderful experience in the past with hospice, I have been a public speaker for hospice. I became a Deacon in my church in 1987. In 1991 I was a founding member and first President of Habitat for Humanity, an organization which builds homes for families in need. Since 1992, Mt. Diablo Habitat for Humanity has built 66 homes; in 2009 Mt Diablo Habitat merged with East Bay Habitat. This is truly a great accomplishment for our community and a lot of fun if you like getting your hands dirty and playing with hammers and nails! Tom and I volunteer for the Kendall Jackson Tomato Festival and the Moraga Pear Festival. Each fall, during the "Big Garbage” collection in Moraga, Tom and I hold the "Cycle Recycle", gathering repairable bicycles from all over the area. These bikes, which would have otherwise ended up in the garbage, are repaired by the inmates at Marsh Creek Detention Facility and at Christmas are given to needy kids by local charities such at the Volunteer Center and Cambridge Community Center. To date we have collected over 1400 bikes.

Through International Women for Women, I have become a sponsor for women in need in the Third World. My past sisters primarily live in Nigeria and Afghanistan. By providing them a nominal monthly stipend and monthly letters of support, they have each become self-supporting, learning a trade and supporting their families.

I am on the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Hospital Art, and a past Board member of the American Cancer Society.

Why I Practice Medicine and My Practice Philosophy

I initially went into radiology because I loved the problem-solving aspect of it. As I have become deeply involved in Breast Imaging, I have found the opportunity to reach out to other women enormously rewarding. I believe it is my responsibility to provide my patients with the most up-to-date information and prompt, compassionate service, allowing them to fully participate in decision making about their health care. As Breast Imaging becomes more sophisticated, we ARE making a difference in women's lives; being able to be part of that progress is an honor and privilege.

Why I Love Kaiser Permanente

I came to Kaiser Permanente in 2003 after three years of academic practice at the University of California and 26 years in a local private radiology practice, initially practicing in the Diablo Service area where I served as the Associate Chief of Breast Imaging and the Chairman of the Chiefs of Breast Imaging Working Group of Northern California. While in the Diablo Service area, I served on the Breast Care Committee, the Cancer Collaborative Practice Council, and on the Breast Care Consultative and Management Tumor Board.

I came to the Napa/Solano Service Area in fall 2009, as the Sub-Chief of Breast Imaging for Napa, Fairfield, Vallejo and Vacaville. I will continue to be a member of the regional Chiefs of Breast Imaging Working Group, participate in the Multidisciplinary Breast Conference, am a member of the Napa-Solano Breast Task force, and a member of the Kaiser Northern California Breast Care Task Force.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California has the most integrated management of breast cancer that I have seen--patients with breast problems are seen and diagnosed quickly and promptly referred to an extended network of excellent radiologists, breast surgeons, oncologists, and nurse coordinators and practitioners. This quality program is reflected in the fact that, historically, Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients have had some of the best breast cancer survival statistics in the area. It is a privilege to practice in such a milieu, and as a Kaiser Permanente member, it makes me feel secure about my own health care.

Professional Activities

I am a member of the American Medical Association, Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association, Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound, and a founding member of the Society of Breast Imaging. I studied Mammography in Sweden with Dr. Laszlo Tabar, the world-renown Radiologist who demonstrated the value of screening mammography in reducing the mortality from Breast Cancer.

My Credentials

Medical school	Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Internship	San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, San Francisco, CA
Residency	UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Board certification	Diagnostic Radiology, American Board of Radiology

Helpful Information for Members

Be sure to check the "Get Health Advice" and "Appointments/Rx refills" menus above for additional information regarding appointments, prescriptions, health education classes and other health-related topics. You can also click on my department link above to receive additional health information.

If you are looking for more specific information about our hospital or our clinics in the Napa Solano Service Area, you can check us out at www.KPNapaSolano.org.

To choose your own personal physician, click here.

Here is some additional information you may find helpful:

• Checklist for New Members

• About Your Office Visit

• Prevention Information on Your Registration Slip

Disclaimer
If you think you have a MEDICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or go to the nearest hospital. DO NOT attempt to access emergency care through this web site. An emergency medical condition is a medical or psychiatric condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in any of the following: serious jeopardy to your health, serious impairment to your bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. An emergency medical condition is also "active labor," which means a labor when there is inadequate time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery or if a transfer poses a threat to the health of the member or unborn child.

This site may contain links to other web sites outside of www.permanente.net. Kaiser Permanente has no control over the content or the availability of these sites, and is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such Web sites. Web links are provided as an educational tool, and should not be relied upon for personal diagnosis or treatment. A link or reference to a web site should not be construed as an endorsement of the site or its contents. Any medical content that you feel may be important to your health should always be discussed with your Kaiser Permanente physician.