diff --git a/Core/Code/DataManagement/mitkVector.h b/Core/Code/DataManagement/mitkVector.h
index 6a6d5aeb46..47a865f2cd 100644
--- a/Core/Code/DataManagement/mitkVector.h
+++ b/Core/Code/DataManagement/mitkVector.h
@@ -1,132 +1,145 @@
 /*===================================================================
 
 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.
 
 ===================================================================*/
 
 #ifndef MITKVECTOR_H_
 #define MITKVECTOR_H_
 
 
 #include <itkVector.h>
 #include <vnl/vnl_vector_fixed.h>
 #include <vnl/vnl_vector.h>
 
 #include "mitkTypeBasics.h"
 #include "mitkTypeConversions.h"
 #include "mitkExceptionMacro.h"
 
 namespace mitk
 {
 
   template<class TCoordRep, unsigned int NVectorDimension = 3>
   class Vector : public itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>
   {
   public:
     /**
      * @brief Default constructor has nothing to do.
      */
     Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>()
       : itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>() {}
 
     /**
      * @brief Copy constructor.
      */
     Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(const mitk::Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>& r)
       : itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(r) {}
 
     /**
      * @brief Constructor to convert from itk::Vector to mitk::Vector.
      */
     Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(const itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>& r)
       : itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(r) {}
 
 
     /**
      * @brief Constructor to convert an array to mitk::Vector
      * @param r the array.
      * @attention must have NVectorDimension valid arguments!
      */
     Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(const TCoordRep r[NVectorDimension])
       : itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(r) {}
 
     /**
      * Constructor to initialize entire vector to one value.
      */
     Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(const TCoordRep & v)
         : itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(v) {}
 
     /**
      * @brief Constructor for vnl_vectors.
      * @throws mitk::Exception if vnl_vector.size() != NVectorDimension.
      */
     Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(const vnl_vector<TCoordRep>& vnlVector)
             : itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>()
     {
       if (vnlVector.size() != NVectorDimension)
         mitkThrow() << "when constructing mitk::Vector from vnl_vector: sizes didn't match: mitk::Vector " << NVectorDimension << "; vnl_vector " << vnlVector.size();
 
       for (int var = 0; (var < NVectorDimension) && (var < vnlVector.size()); ++var) {
         this->SetElement(var, vnlVector.get(var));
       }
     }
 
     /**
      * @brief Constructor for vnl_vector_fixed.
      */
     Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(const vnl_vector_fixed<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>& vnlVectorFixed)
         : itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>()
     {
       for (int var = 0; var < NVectorDimension; ++var) {
         this->SetElement(var,  vnlVectorFixed[var]);
       }
     };
 
     template <typename ArrayType >
     void FromArray(const ArrayType& array)
     {
       itk::FixedArray<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>* thisP = dynamic_cast<itk::FixedArray<TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>* >(this);
       mitk::FromArray<ArrayType, TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(*thisP, array);
     }
 
     template <typename ArrayType >
     ArrayType ToArray()
     {
       ArrayType result = mitk::ToArray<ArrayType, TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(*this);
       return result;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Copies the values stored in this vector into the array array.
+     * This method has to be used over the version returning the array when
+     * copying to pod arrays.
+     *
+     * @param array the array which should store the values of this.
+     */
+    template <typename ArrayType >
+    void ToArray(ArrayType array)
+    {
+      mitk::ToArray<ArrayType, TCoordRep, NVectorDimension>(array, *this);
+    }
+
 
     /**
      * @brief User defined conversion of mitk::Vector to vnl_vector.
      * Note: the conversion to mitk::Vector to vnl_vector_fixed has not been implemented since this
      * would collide with the conversion vnl_vector to vnl_vector_fixed provided by vnl.
      */
     operator vnl_vector<TCoordRep> () const
     {
       return this->GetVnlVector();
     }
 
 
   }; // end mitk::Vector
 
   // convenience typedefs for often used mitk::Vector representations.
   typedef Vector<ScalarType,2> Vector2D;
   typedef Vector<ScalarType,3> Vector3D;
   typedef Vector<ScalarType,4> Vector4D;
 
 
 
 } // end namespace mitk
 
 #endif /* MITKVECTOR_H_ */
diff --git a/Core/Code/Testing/mitkTypeVectorConversionTest.cpp b/Core/Code/Testing/mitkTypeVectorConversionTest.cpp
index 121f932637..389cad07e0 100644
--- a/Core/Code/Testing/mitkTypeVectorConversionTest.cpp
+++ b/Core/Code/Testing/mitkTypeVectorConversionTest.cpp
@@ -1,273 +1,272 @@
 /*===================================================================
 
 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 <iostream>
 
 #include "itkVector.h"
 
 #include <vnl/vnl_vector_ref.h>
 #include <vnl/vnl_vector_fixed_ref.h>
 #include "vnl/vnl_math.h"
 
 #include "mitkTestingMacros.h"
 #include "mitkTypeBasics.h"
 #include "mitkVector.h"
 #include "mitkTypes.h" // for Equals
 
 // TODO SW: here we will need a guard in case opencv is not activated in a build.
 #include <cv.h>
 
 using namespace mitk;
 
 /**
  * these static variables are used in the test functions
  *
  * The variable which should be copied into is set to its original value.
  * The value which should be copied is set to valuesToCopy.
  *
  * Then the copying takes place. The test is successful, if the variable which
  * should be copied into holds the valuesToCopy afterwards and is equal to the
  * vector which should be copied.
  */
 static const ScalarType originalValues[] =  {1.123456789987, 2.789456321456, 3.123654789987456};
 static const ScalarType valuesToCopy[]   =  {4.654789123321, 5.987456789321, 6.321654987789546};
 
 /**
  * @brief Convenience method to test if one vector has been assigned successfully to the other.
  *
  * More specifically, tests if v1 = v2 was performed correctly. The method therefore assures that
  * 1. v1 equals v2 and
  * 2. both hold the values of v2.
  *
  * @param v1    The vector v1 of the assignment v1 = v2
  * @param v2    The vector v2 of the assignment v1 = v2
  * @param v1Name        The type name of v1 (e.g.: mitk::Vector3D). Necessary for the correct test output.
  * @param v2Name        The type name of v2 (e.g.: mitk::Vector3D). Necessary for the correct test output.
 *  @param eps   defines the allowed tolerance when testing for equality.
  */
 template <typename T1, typename T2>
 static void TestForEquality(T1 v1, T2 v2, std::string v1Name, std::string v2Name, ScalarType eps = mitk::eps)
 {
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION( EqualArray(v1, v2, 3, eps),  "\nAssigning " << v2Name << " to " << v1Name << ":\n1. both are equal")
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION( EqualArray(v1, v2, 3, eps), "2. both hold values of " << v2Name)
 }
 
 const float epsDouble2Float = vnl_math::float_eps * 10.0;
 
 
 
 static void Test_pod2mitk(void)
 {
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = valuesToCopy;
 
   TestForEquality(vector3D, valuesToCopy, "mitk::Vector3D", "double POD");
 }
 
 
 static void Test_mitk2pod(void)
 {
   ScalarType podArray[3];
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = valuesToCopy;
 
-  ToArray(podArray, vector3D);
+  vector3D.ToArray(podArray);
 
   TestForEquality(podArray, vector3D, "double POD", "mitk::Vector3D");
 }
 
 
 static void Test_oneElement2mitk(void)
 {
   double twos[] = {2.0, 2.0, 2.0};
   mitk::Vector<double, 3> vector3D(2.0);
 
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION(EqualArray(vector3D, twos, 3), "\none values initializes all elements to this value")
 }
 
 
 static void Test_itk2mitk(void)
 {
   Vector3D vector3D = originalValues;
   itk::Vector<ScalarType, 3> itkVector = valuesToCopy;
 
   vector3D = itkVector;
 
   TestForEquality(vector3D, itkVector, "mitk::Vector3D", "itk::Vector");
 }
 
 
 static void Test_mitk2itk(void)
 {
   Vector3D vector3D = valuesToCopy;
   itk::Vector<ScalarType, 3> itkVector = originalValues;
 
   itkVector = vector3D;
 
   TestForEquality(itkVector, vector3D, "itk::Vector", "mitk::Vector3D");
 }
 
 
 static void Test_vnlfixed2mitk(void)
 {
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = originalValues;
   vnl_vector_fixed<ScalarType, 3> vnlVectorFixed(valuesToCopy);
 
   vector3D = vnlVectorFixed;
 
   TestForEquality(vector3D, vnlVectorFixed, "mitk::Vector3D", "vnl_vector_fixed<ScalarType>");
 }
 
 
 static void Test_mitk2vnlfixed(void)
 {
   vnl_vector_fixed<ScalarType, 3> vnlVectorFixed(originalValues);
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = valuesToCopy;
 
   vnlVectorFixed = vector3D;
 
   TestForEquality(vnlVectorFixed, vector3D, "vnl_vector_fixed<ScalarType>", "mitk::Vector3D");
 }
 
 
 static void Test_vnl2mitk(void)
 {
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = originalValues;
   vnl_vector<ScalarType> vnlVector(3);
   vnlVector.set(valuesToCopy);
 
   vector3D = vnlVector;
 
   TestForEquality(vector3D, vnlVector, "mitk::Vector3D", "vnl_vector<ScalarType>");
 }
 
 
 static void Test_mitk2vnl(void)
 {
   vnl_vector<ScalarType> vnlVector(3);
   vnlVector.set(originalValues);
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = valuesToCopy;
 
   vnlVector = vector3D;
 
   TestForEquality(vnlVector, vector3D, "vnl_vector<ScalarType>", "mitk::Vector3D");
 }
 
 
 /**
  * @brief Tests if an exception is thrown when constructing an mitk::Vector form a vnl_vector of not suited size.
  */
 static void Test_vnl2mitk_WrongVnlVectorSize()
 {
   ScalarType largerValuesToCopy[] = {4.12345678910, 5.10987654321, 6.123456789132456, 7.123456987789456};
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = originalValues;
   vnl_vector<ScalarType> vnlVector(4);
   vnlVector.set(largerValuesToCopy);
 
   MITK_TEST_FOR_EXCEPTION(mitk::Exception&, vector3D = vnlVector;)
 }
 
 
 static void Test_mitk2opencv()
 {
   cv::Vec3d opencvVector(originalValues[0], originalValues[1], originalValues[2]);
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = valuesToCopy;
 
   opencvVector = vector3D.ToArray<cv::Vec3d>();
 
   TestForEquality(opencvVector, vector3D, "cv::Vec3d", "mitk::Vector3D");
 }
 
 
 static void Test_opencv2mitk()
 {
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = originalValues;
   cv::Vec3d opencvVector(valuesToCopy[0], valuesToCopy[1], valuesToCopy[2]);
 
   vector3D.FromArray(opencvVector);
 
   TestForEquality(vector3D, opencvVector, "mitk::Vector3D", "cv::Vec3d");
 }
 
 
 static void Test_ToArray_DifferentType(void)
 {
   float podArray[3];
   for (int var = 0; var < 3; ++var) {
     podArray[var] = originalValues[var];
   }
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = valuesToCopy;
 
-  //podArray = vector3D.ToArray<float[3]>();
-  ToArray(podArray, vector3D);
+  vector3D.ToArray(podArray);
 
   TestForEquality(podArray, vector3D, "float POD", "mitk::Vector3D", epsDouble2Float);
 }
 
 
 static void Test_FromArray_DifferentType(void)
 {
   mitk::Vector3D vector3D = originalValues;
   float podArray[3];
   for (int var = 0; var < 3; ++var) {
     podArray[var] = valuesToCopy[var];
   }
 
   vector3D.FromArray(podArray);
 
   TestForEquality(vector3D, podArray, "mitk::Vector3D", "float POD", epsDouble2Float);
 }
 
 
 
 /**
 * @brief Test the conversions from and to the mitk::Vector type.
 *
 * Tests for every conversion, if it can be done and in a second test, if the assignment of a
 * different type succeeds. E.g., assign a double vnl_vector to a float mitk::Vector
 * In cases where the size can not be determined during compile time it is checked if the assignment of
 * a differently sized vector yields an error.
 */
 int mitkTypeVectorConversionTest(int /*argc*/ , char* /*argv*/[])
 {
   // always start with this!
   MITK_TEST_BEGIN("VectorConversionTest")
 
   Test_pod2mitk();
   Test_mitk2pod();
 
   Test_oneElement2mitk();
 
   Test_itk2mitk();
   Test_mitk2itk();
 
   Test_vnlfixed2mitk();
   Test_mitk2vnlfixed();
 
   Test_vnl2mitk();
   Test_mitk2vnl();
   Test_vnl2mitk_WrongVnlVectorSize();
 
   Test_mitk2opencv();
   Test_opencv2mitk();
 
   /**
    * The ToArray and FromArray can assign non equal types by implicit primitive type conversion.
    * The next two tests show this behavior
    */
   Test_ToArray_DifferentType();
   Test_FromArray_DifferentType();
 
   MITK_TEST_END()
 }