“Women must always be visionary. Despite any obstacles that lie before them, women must never cease to dream and to dare.”

Kamilia Kozlowski, M.D., who was concerned about the delivery of breast health care, founded the center in 1983. She felt that women should not have to endure the anxiety of waiting weeks to receive the results of a mammogram. Thus, the Knoxville Breast Center became an innovative model for delivering breast care. The keys to this model are: having a radiologist that specializes in breast imaging and who correlates the clinical findings with the imaging studies; and having a physician or nurse breast specialist inform and discuss the results with the woman before she leaves the center. The Clinical Breast Radiologists read and interpret the breast imaging studies to determine the women’s breast health status and perform additional studies if needed. This allows women to have all the necessary imaging studies; mammography, ultrasound, needle biopsies, or breast MRI, done at the time she visits the center. This type of delivery saves time and unnecessary anxiety for the women.

In 1997, the Knoxville Breast Center expanded its services for women, adding dedicated breast surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologist, plastic reconstructive surgeons and high risk assessment coordinators, to become the Knoxville Comprehensive Breast Center. Now, women can receive all their breast health care in one location, from the imaging to diagnosis to surgery consultation to recovery. In addition, every week the multi-disciplinary team meets to discuss patients diagnosed with cancer and plans for their treatment. This “meeting of the minds” allows all the doctors involved in a breast cancer case to be informed and in accordance with the treatment plans.

The Knoxville Comprehensive Breast Center has grown significantly since its inception. Today, the Breast Center occupies a 39,000 sq. ft. building with a staff of over 70 employees, 5 physicians specializing in breast care and utilizing digital mammographic machines, 10 SuperSonic ultrasound machine, a stereotactic table, 2 dedicated Aurora Breast MRI machines and a Digital Mobile Mammography Coach. The innovative way Dr. Kozlowski has delivered breast care has impressed and gratified women in the area. Dr. Kozlowski stated “Women must always be visionary. Despite any obstacles that lie before them. Women must never cease to dream and dare.” The Knoxville Comprehensive Breast Center, as part of her vision, is always seeking ways to improve and expand the care provided to our patients.