The state Senate voted in favor of allowing the University of Wisconsin to construct an addition to the School of Veterinary Medicine late last week.

The addition would not have any cost to the state of Wisconsin, and would include a TomoTherapy site, an animal preparation site, a control area, a small conference room and a mechanical site.

Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, and Rep. A.J. ?Doc? Hines, R-Oxford, sponsored the legislation. Hines, who is well-known for his work as a veterinarian, formed the Adams-Marquette Veterinary Service in 1976 and is a member of the American Veterinary Medicine Association.

?Oftentimes, advancements in oncology treatment for animals have a positive effect on the health care of humans because many diseases in animals, including cancer, are analogous in humans,? Hines said in a statement.

The bill will add this addition to its list of state building projects, allowing UW to accept $2,546,000 in grants and private donations.

?This will be the first installation of a TomoTherapy unit in a veterinary medical teaching hospital, so we are very excited about having this technology available to our patients and for our teaching program,? School of Veterinary Medicine Dean Daryl Buss said in an e-mail.

Helical TomoTherapy is a type of cancer radiation therapy that was developed at the University of Wisconsin in 2002. Professors Rock Mackie and Paul Reckwerdt began to explore the idea of slice therapy ? the cornerstone behind TomoTherapy ? in 1990 and received a patent in 1992.

TomoTherapy is used to deliver 360-degree radiation to a specific area, while sparing the surrounding tissues. The radiation source rotates in ?beamlets? around the targeted area, delivering what Risser called ?highly localized and controlled? radiation treatment.

According to Buss, many of the donors providing the funds for this project have had pets with cancer and understand the importance of using this technology in treating patients.

The addition would be located on the northeast side of the Veterinary Medicine building.

?I am delighted that the Legislature has swiftly approved the addition of a new TomoTherapy addition to the School of Veterinary Medicine,? Risser said.

Buss added that because TomoTherapy was invented at the University of Wisconsin, it is ?especially gratifying to have the first unit to be used for animals installed here.?

The bill will soon move on to Gov. Jim Doyle for approval.