diff --git a/Modules/Core/src/IO/mitkItkImageIO.cpp b/Modules/Core/src/IO/mitkItkImageIO.cpp
index 18620286b2..81a2c47811 100644
--- a/Modules/Core/src/IO/mitkItkImageIO.cpp
+++ b/Modules/Core/src/IO/mitkItkImageIO.cpp
@@ -1,488 +1,488 @@
 /*===================================================================
 
 The Medical Imaging Interaction Toolkit (MITK)
 
 Copyright (c) German Cancer Research Center,
 Division of Medical and Biological Informatics.
 All rights reserved.
 
 This software is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without
 even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
 A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
 
 See LICENSE.txt or http://www.mitk.org for details.
 
 ===================================================================*/
 
 
 #include "mitkItkImageIO.h"
 
 #include <mitkImage.h>
 #include <mitkImageReadAccessor.h>
 #include <mitkCustomMimeType.h>
 #include <mitkIOMimeTypes.h>
 
 #include <itkImage.h>
 #include <itkImageIOFactory.h>
 #include <itkImageFileReader.h>
 #include <itkImageIORegion.h>
 #include <itkMetaDataObject.h>
 
 #include <mitkLocaleSwitch.h>
 
 
 namespace mitk {
 
 ItkImageIO::ItkImageIO(const ItkImageIO& other)
   : AbstractFileIO(other)
   , m_ImageIO(dynamic_cast<itk::ImageIOBase*>(other.m_ImageIO->Clone().GetPointer()))
 {
 }
 
 std::vector<std::string> ItkImageIO::FixUpImageIOExtensions(const std::string& imageIOName)
 {
   std::vector<std::string> extensions;
   // Try to fix-up some known ITK image IO classes
   if (imageIOName == "GiplImageIO")
   {
     extensions.push_back("gipl");
     extensions.push_back("gipl.gz");
   }
   else if (imageIOName == "GDCMImageIO")
   {
     extensions.push_back("gdcm");
     extensions.push_back("dcm");
     extensions.push_back("DCM");
     extensions.push_back("dc3");
     extensions.push_back("DC3");
     extensions.push_back("ima");
     extensions.push_back("img");
   }
   else if (imageIOName == "PNGImageIO")
   {
     extensions.push_back("png");
     extensions.push_back("PNG");
   }
   else if (imageIOName == "StimulateImageIO")
   {
     extensions.push_back("spr");
   }
   else if (imageIOName == "HDF5ImageIO")
   {
     extensions.push_back("hdf");
     extensions.push_back("h4");
     extensions.push_back("hdf4");
     extensions.push_back("h5");
     extensions.push_back("hdf5");
     extensions.push_back("he4");
     extensions.push_back("he5");
     extensions.push_back("hd5");
   }
 
   if (!extensions.empty())
   {
     MITK_DEBUG << "Fixing up known extensions for " << imageIOName;
   }
 
   return extensions;
 }
 
 ItkImageIO::ItkImageIO(itk::ImageIOBase::Pointer imageIO)
   : AbstractFileIO(Image::GetStaticNameOfClass())
   , m_ImageIO(imageIO)
 {
   if (m_ImageIO.IsNull() )
   {
     mitkThrow() << "ITK ImageIOBase argument must not be NULL";
   }
 
   this->AbstractFileReader::SetMimeTypePrefix(IOMimeTypes::DEFAULT_BASE_NAME() + ".image.");
 
   std::vector<std::string> readExtensions = m_ImageIO->GetSupportedReadExtensions();
 
   if (readExtensions.empty())
   {
     std::string imageIOName = m_ImageIO->GetNameOfClass();
     MITK_DEBUG << "ITK ImageIOBase " << imageIOName << " does not provide read extensions";
     readExtensions = FixUpImageIOExtensions(imageIOName);
   }
 
   CustomMimeType customReaderMimeType;
   customReaderMimeType.SetCategory("Images");
   for(std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator iter = readExtensions.begin(),
       endIter = readExtensions.end(); iter != endIter; ++iter)
   {
     std::string extension = *iter;
     if (!extension.empty() && extension[0] == '.')
     {
       extension.assign(iter->begin()+1, iter->end());
     }
     customReaderMimeType.AddExtension(extension);
   }
   this->AbstractFileReader::SetMimeType(customReaderMimeType);
 
   std::vector<std::string> writeExtensions = imageIO->GetSupportedWriteExtensions();
   if (writeExtensions.empty())
   {
     std::string imageIOName = imageIO->GetNameOfClass();
     MITK_DEBUG << "ITK ImageIOBase " << imageIOName << " does not provide write extensions";
     writeExtensions = FixUpImageIOExtensions(imageIOName);
   }
 
   if (writeExtensions != readExtensions)
   {
     CustomMimeType customWriterMimeType;
     customWriterMimeType.SetCategory("Images");
     for(std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator iter = writeExtensions.begin(),
         endIter = writeExtensions.end(); iter != endIter; ++iter)
     {
       std::string extension = *iter;
       if (!extension.empty() && extension[0] == '.')
       {
         extension.assign(iter->begin()+1, iter->end());
       }
       customWriterMimeType.AddExtension(extension);
     }
     this->AbstractFileWriter::SetMimeType(customWriterMimeType);
   }
 
   std::string description = std::string("ITK ") + imageIO->GetNameOfClass();
   this->SetReaderDescription(description);
   this->SetWriterDescription(description);
 
   this->RegisterService();
 }
 
 ItkImageIO::ItkImageIO(const CustomMimeType& mimeType, itk::ImageIOBase::Pointer imageIO, int rank)
   : AbstractFileIO(Image::GetStaticNameOfClass(), mimeType, std::string("ITK ") + imageIO->GetNameOfClass())
   , m_ImageIO(imageIO)
 {
   if (m_ImageIO.IsNull() )
   {
     mitkThrow() << "ITK ImageIOBase argument must not be NULL";
   }
 
   this->AbstractFileReader::SetMimeTypePrefix(IOMimeTypes::DEFAULT_BASE_NAME() + ".image.");
 
   if (rank)
   {
     this->AbstractFileReader::SetRanking(rank);
     this->AbstractFileWriter::SetRanking(rank);
   }
 
   this->RegisterService();
 }
 
 std::vector<BaseData::Pointer> ItkImageIO::Read()
 {
   std::vector<BaseData::Pointer> result;
 
   const std::string& locale = "C";
   const std::string& currLocale = setlocale( LC_ALL, NULL );
 
   if ( locale.compare(currLocale)!=0 )
   {
     try
     {
       setlocale(LC_ALL, locale.c_str());
     }
     catch(...)
     {
       MITK_INFO << "Could not set locale " << locale;
     }
   }
 
   Image::Pointer image = Image::New();
 
   const unsigned int MINDIM = 2;
   const unsigned int MAXDIM = 4;
 
   const std::string path = this->GetLocalFileName();
 
   MITK_INFO << "loading " << path << " via itk::ImageIOFactory... " << std::endl;
 
   // Check to see if we can read the file given the name or prefix
   if (path.empty())
   {
     mitkThrow() << "Empty filename in mitk::ItkImageIO ";
   }
 
   // Got to allocate space for the image. Determine the characteristics of
   // the image.
   m_ImageIO->SetFileName( path );
   m_ImageIO->ReadImageInformation();
 
   unsigned int ndim = m_ImageIO->GetNumberOfDimensions();
   if ( ndim < MINDIM || ndim > MAXDIM )
   {
     MITK_WARN << "Sorry, only dimensions 2, 3 and 4 are supported. The given file has " << ndim << " dimensions! Reading as 4D.";
     ndim = MAXDIM;
   }
 
   itk::ImageIORegion ioRegion( ndim );
   itk::ImageIORegion::SizeType ioSize = ioRegion.GetSize();
   itk::ImageIORegion::IndexType ioStart = ioRegion.GetIndex();
 
   unsigned int dimensions[ MAXDIM ];
   dimensions[ 0 ] = 0;
   dimensions[ 1 ] = 0;
   dimensions[ 2 ] = 0;
   dimensions[ 3 ] = 0;
 
   ScalarType spacing[ MAXDIM ];
   spacing[ 0 ] = 1.0f;
   spacing[ 1 ] = 1.0f;
   spacing[ 2 ] = 1.0f;
   spacing[ 3 ] = 1.0f;
 
   Point3D origin;
   origin.Fill(0);
 
   unsigned int i;
   for ( i = 0; i < ndim ; ++i )
   {
     ioStart[ i ] = 0;
     ioSize[ i ] = m_ImageIO->GetDimensions( i );
     if(i<MAXDIM)
     {
       dimensions[ i ] = m_ImageIO->GetDimensions( i );
       spacing[ i ] = m_ImageIO->GetSpacing( i );
       if(spacing[ i ] <= 0)
         spacing[ i ] = 1.0f;
     }
     if(i<3)
     {
       origin[ i ] = m_ImageIO->GetOrigin( i );
     }
   }
 
   ioRegion.SetSize( ioSize );
   ioRegion.SetIndex( ioStart );
 
   MITK_INFO << "ioRegion: " << ioRegion << std::endl;
   m_ImageIO->SetIORegion( ioRegion );
   void* buffer = new unsigned char[m_ImageIO->GetImageSizeInBytes()];
   m_ImageIO->Read( buffer );
 
   image->Initialize( MakePixelType(m_ImageIO), ndim, dimensions );
   image->SetImportChannel( buffer, 0, Image::ManageMemory );
 
   // access direction of itk::Image and include spacing
   mitk::Matrix3D matrix;
   matrix.SetIdentity();
   unsigned int j, itkDimMax3 = (ndim >= 3? 3 : ndim);
   for ( i=0; i < itkDimMax3; ++i)
     for( j=0; j < itkDimMax3; ++j )
       matrix[i][j] = m_ImageIO->GetDirection(j)[i];
 
   // re-initialize PlaneGeometry with origin and direction
   PlaneGeometry* planeGeometry = image->GetSlicedGeometry(0)->GetPlaneGeometry(0);
   planeGeometry->SetOrigin(origin);
   planeGeometry->GetIndexToWorldTransform()->SetMatrix(matrix);
 
   // re-initialize SlicedGeometry3D
   SlicedGeometry3D* slicedGeometry = image->GetSlicedGeometry(0);
   slicedGeometry->InitializeEvenlySpaced(planeGeometry, image->GetDimension(2));
   slicedGeometry->SetSpacing(spacing);
 
   MITK_INFO << slicedGeometry->GetCornerPoint(false,false,false);
   MITK_INFO << slicedGeometry->GetCornerPoint(true,true,true);
 
   // re-initialize TimeGeometry
   ProportionalTimeGeometry::Pointer timeGeometry = ProportionalTimeGeometry::New();
   timeGeometry->Initialize(slicedGeometry, image->GetDimension(3));
   image->SetTimeGeometry(timeGeometry);
 
   buffer = NULL;
   MITK_INFO << "number of image components: "<< image->GetPixelType().GetNumberOfComponents() << std::endl;
 
   const itk::MetaDataDictionary& dictionary = m_ImageIO->GetMetaDataDictionary();
   for (itk::MetaDataDictionary::ConstIterator iter = dictionary.Begin(), iterEnd = dictionary.End();
        iter != iterEnd; ++iter)
   {
     std::string key = std::string("meta.") + iter->first;
     if (iter->second->GetMetaDataObjectTypeInfo() == typeid(std::string))
     {
       std::string value = dynamic_cast<itk::MetaDataObject<std::string>*>(iter->second.GetPointer())->GetMetaDataObjectValue();
       image->SetProperty(key.c_str(), mitk::StringProperty::New(value));
     }
   }
 
   MITK_INFO << "...finished!" << std::endl;
 
   try
   {
     setlocale(LC_ALL, currLocale.c_str());
   }
   catch(...)
   {
     MITK_INFO << "Could not reset locale " << currLocale;
   }
 
   result.push_back(image.GetPointer());
   return result;
 }
 
 AbstractFileIO::ConfidenceLevel ItkImageIO::GetReaderConfidenceLevel() const
 {
   return m_ImageIO->CanReadFile(GetLocalFileName().c_str()) ? IFileReader::Supported : IFileReader::Unsupported;
 }
 
 void ItkImageIO::Write()
 {
   const mitk::Image* image = dynamic_cast<const mitk::Image*>(this->GetInput());
 
   if (image == NULL)
   {
     mitkThrow() << "Cannot write non-image data";
   }
 
 
   // Switch the current locale to "C"
   LocaleSwitch localeSwitch("C");
 
   // Clone the image geometry, because we might have to change it
   // for writing purposes
   BaseGeometry::Pointer geometry = image->GetGeometry()->Clone();
 
   // Check if geometry information will be lost
   if (image->GetDimension() == 2 &&
       !geometry->Is2DConvertable())
   {
     MITK_WARN << "Saving a 2D image with 3D geometry information. Geometry information will be lost! You might consider using Convert2Dto3DImageFilter before saving.";
 
     // set matrix to identity
     mitk::AffineTransform3D::Pointer affTrans = mitk::AffineTransform3D::New();
     affTrans->SetIdentity();
     mitk::Vector3D spacing = geometry->GetSpacing();
     mitk::Point3D origin = geometry->GetOrigin();
     geometry->SetIndexToWorldTransform(affTrans);
     geometry->SetSpacing(spacing);
     geometry->SetOrigin(origin);
   }
 
   LocalFile localFile(this);
   const std::string path = localFile.GetFileName();
 
   MITK_INFO << "Writing image: " << path << std::endl;
 
   try
   {
     // Implementation of writer using itkImageIO directly. This skips the use
     // of templated itkImageFileWriter, which saves the multiplexing on MITK side.
 
     const unsigned int dimension = image->GetDimension();
     const unsigned int* const dimensions = image->GetDimensions();
     const mitk::PixelType pixelType = image->GetPixelType();
     const mitk::Vector3D mitkSpacing = geometry->GetSpacing();
     const mitk::Point3D mitkOrigin = geometry->GetOrigin();
 
     // Due to templating in itk, we are forced to save a 4D spacing and 4D Origin,
     // though they are not supported in MITK
     itk::Vector<double, 4u> spacing4D;
     spacing4D[0] = mitkSpacing[0];
     spacing4D[1] = mitkSpacing[1];
     spacing4D[2] = mitkSpacing[2];
     spacing4D[3] = 1; // There is no support for a 4D spacing. However, we should have a valid value here
 
     itk::Vector<double, 4u> origin4D;
     origin4D[0] = mitkOrigin[0];
     origin4D[1] = mitkOrigin[1];
     origin4D[2] = mitkOrigin[2];
     origin4D[3] = 0; // There is no support for a 4D origin. However, we should have a valid value here
 
     // Set the necessary information for imageIO
     m_ImageIO->SetNumberOfDimensions(dimension);
     m_ImageIO->SetPixelType(pixelType.GetPixelType());
     m_ImageIO->SetComponentType(pixelType.GetComponentType() < PixelComponentUserType ?
                                   static_cast<itk::ImageIOBase::IOComponentType>(pixelType.GetComponentType()) :
                                   itk::ImageIOBase::UNKNOWNCOMPONENTTYPE);
     m_ImageIO->SetNumberOfComponents( pixelType.GetNumberOfComponents() );
 
     itk::ImageIORegion ioRegion( dimension );
 
     for(unsigned int i = 0; i < dimension; i++)
     {
       m_ImageIO->SetDimensions(i, dimensions[i]);
       m_ImageIO->SetSpacing(i, spacing4D[i]);
       m_ImageIO->SetOrigin(i, origin4D[i]);
 
       mitk::Vector3D mitkDirection;
       mitkDirection.SetVnlVector(geometry->GetIndexToWorldTransform()->GetMatrix().GetVnlMatrix().get_column(i));
       itk::Vector<double, 4u> direction4D;
       direction4D[0] = mitkDirection[0];
       direction4D[1] = mitkDirection[1];
       direction4D[2] = mitkDirection[2];
 
       // MITK only supports a 3x3 direction matrix. Due to templating in itk, however, we must
       // save a 4x4 matrix for 4D images. in this case, add an homogneous component to the matrix.
       if (i == 3)
       {
         direction4D[3] = 1; // homogenous component
       }
       else
       {
         direction4D[3] = 0;
       }
       vnl_vector<double> axisDirection(dimension);
       for(unsigned int j = 0; j < dimension; j++)
       {
         axisDirection[j] = direction4D[j] / spacing4D[i];
       }
       m_ImageIO->SetDirection(i, axisDirection);
 
       ioRegion.SetSize(i, image->GetLargestPossibleRegion().GetSize(i));
       ioRegion.SetIndex(i, image->GetLargestPossibleRegion().GetIndex(i));
     }
 
     //use compression if available
     m_ImageIO->UseCompressionOn();
 
     m_ImageIO->SetIORegion(ioRegion);
     m_ImageIO->SetFileName(path);
 
     // ***** Remove const_cast after bug 17952 is fixed ****
     ImageReadAccessor imageAccess(const_cast<mitk::Image*>(image));
     m_ImageIO->Write(imageAccess.GetData());
   }
   catch (const std::exception& e)
   {
     mitkThrow() << e.what();
   }
 }
 
 AbstractFileIO::ConfidenceLevel ItkImageIO::GetWriterConfidenceLevel() const
 {
   // Check if the image dimension is supported
   const Image* image = dynamic_cast<const Image*>(this->GetInput());
   if (image == NULL)
   {
     // We cannot write a null object, DUH!
     return IFileWriter::Unsupported;
   }
 
   if ( ! m_ImageIO->SupportsDimension(image->GetDimension()))
   {
     // okay, dimension is not supported. We have to look at a special case:
     // 3D-Image with one slice. We can treat that as a 2D image.
-    if ( (image->GetDimension() == 3) && (image->GetSliceData()->GetSize() == 1) )
+    if ((image->GetDimension() == 3) && (image->GetSlicedGeometry()->GetSlices() == 1))
       return IFileWriter::Supported;
     else
       return IFileWriter::Unsupported;
   }
 
   // Check if geometry information will be lost
   if (image->GetDimension() == 2 &&
       !image->GetGeometry()->Is2DConvertable())
   {
     return IFileWriter::PartiallySupported;
   }
   return IFileWriter::Supported;
 }
 
 ItkImageIO* ItkImageIO::IOClone() const
 {
   return new ItkImageIO(*this);
 }
 
 }