diff --git a/Core/Code/Algorithms/mitkExtractSliceFilter.cpp b/Core/Code/Algorithms/mitkExtractSliceFilter.cpp
index ce379c5929..b1110f6443 100644
--- a/Core/Code/Algorithms/mitkExtractSliceFilter.cpp
+++ b/Core/Code/Algorithms/mitkExtractSliceFilter.cpp
@@ -1,448 +1,451 @@
 /*===================================================================
 
 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 "mitkExtractSliceFilter.h"
 #include <vtkImageData.h>
 #include <vtkSmartPointer.h>
 #include <vtkLinearTransform.h>
 #include <vtkImageChangeInformation.h>
 #include <mitkAbstractTransformGeometry.h>
 #include <vtkGeneralTransform.h>
 #include <mitkPlaneClipping.h>
 
 mitk::ExtractSliceFilter::ExtractSliceFilter(vtkImageReslice* reslicer ){
   if(reslicer == NULL){
     m_Reslicer = vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageReslice>::New();
   }
   else
   {
     m_Reslicer = reslicer;
   }
 
   m_TimeStep = 0;
   m_Reslicer->ReleaseDataFlagOn();
   m_InterpolationMode = ExtractSliceFilter::RESLICE_NEAREST;
   m_ResliceTransform = NULL;
   m_InPlaneResampleExtentByGeometry = false;
   m_OutPutSpacing = new mitk::ScalarType[2];
   m_OutputDimension = 2;
   m_ZSpacing = 1.0;
   m_ZMin = 0;
   m_ZMax = 0;
   m_VtkOutputRequested = false;
+  m_BackgroundLevel = -32768.0;
 }
 
 mitk::ExtractSliceFilter::~ExtractSliceFilter(){
   m_ResliceTransform = NULL;
   m_WorldGeometry = NULL;
   delete [] m_OutPutSpacing;
 }
 
 void mitk::ExtractSliceFilter::GenerateOutputInformation(){
   Superclass::GenerateOutputInformation();
   //TODO try figure out how to set the specs of the slice before it is actually extracted
   /*Image::Pointer output = this->GetOutput();
   Image::ConstPointer input = this->GetInput();
   if (input.IsNull()) return;
   unsigned int dimensions[2];
   dimensions[0] = m_WorldGeometry->GetExtent(0);
   dimensions[1] = m_WorldGeometry->GetExtent(1);
   output->Initialize(input->GetPixelType(), 2, dimensions, 1);*/
 }
 
 void mitk::ExtractSliceFilter::GenerateInputRequestedRegion(){
   //As we want all pixel information fo the image in our plane, the requested region
   //is set to the largest possible region in the image.
   //This is needed because an oblique plane has a larger extent then the image
   //and the in pipeline it is checked via PropagateResquestedRegion(). But the
   //extent of the slice is actually fitting because it is oblique within the image.
   ImageToImageFilter::InputImagePointer input =  const_cast< ImageToImageFilter::InputImageType* > ( this->GetInput() );
   input->SetRequestedRegionToLargestPossibleRegion();
 }
 
 mitk::ScalarType* mitk::ExtractSliceFilter::GetOutputSpacing(){
   return m_OutPutSpacing;
 }
 
 void mitk::ExtractSliceFilter::GenerateData(){
   mitk::Image *input = const_cast< mitk::Image * >( this->GetInput() );
 
   if (!input)
   {
     MITK_ERROR << "mitk::ExtractSliceFilter: No input image available. Please set the input!" << std::endl;
     itkExceptionMacro("mitk::ExtractSliceFilter: No input image available. Please set the input!");
     return;
   }
 
   if(!m_WorldGeometry)
   {
     MITK_ERROR << "mitk::ExtractSliceFilter: No Geometry for reslicing available." << std::endl;
     itkExceptionMacro("mitk::ExtractSliceFilter: No Geometry for reslicing available.");
     return;
   }
 
   const TimeGeometry* inputTimeGeometry = this->GetInput()->GetTimeGeometry();
   if ( ( inputTimeGeometry == NULL )
     || ( inputTimeGeometry->CountTimeSteps() <= 0 ) )
   {
     itkWarningMacro(<<"Error reading input image TimeGeometry.");
     return;
   }
 
   // is it a valid timeStep?
   if ( inputTimeGeometry->IsValidTimeStep( m_TimeStep ) == false )
   {
     itkWarningMacro(<<"This is not a valid timestep: "<< m_TimeStep );
     return;
   }
 
   // check if there is something to display.
   if ( ! input->IsVolumeSet( m_TimeStep ) )
   {
     itkWarningMacro(<<"No volume data existent at given timestep "<< m_TimeStep );
     return;
   }
 
   /*================#BEGIN setup vtkImageRslice properties================*/
   Point3D origin;
   Vector3D right, bottom, normal;
   double widthInMM, heightInMM;
   Vector2D extent;
 
 
   const PlaneGeometry* planeGeometry = dynamic_cast<const PlaneGeometry*>(m_WorldGeometry);
   //Code for curved planes, mostly taken 1:1 from imageVtkMapper2D and not tested yet.
   // Do we have an AbstractTransformGeometry?
   // This is the case for AbstractTransformGeometry's (e.g. a ThinPlateSplineCurvedGeometry )
   const mitk::AbstractTransformGeometry* abstractGeometry =
     dynamic_cast< const AbstractTransformGeometry * >(m_WorldGeometry);
 
   if(abstractGeometry != NULL)
   {
     m_ResliceTransform = abstractGeometry;
 
     extent[0] = abstractGeometry->GetParametricExtent(0);
     extent[1] = abstractGeometry->GetParametricExtent(1);
 
     widthInMM = abstractGeometry->GetParametricExtentInMM(0);
     heightInMM = abstractGeometry->GetParametricExtentInMM(1);
 
     m_OutPutSpacing[0] = widthInMM / extent[0];
     m_OutPutSpacing[1] = heightInMM / extent[1];
 
     origin = abstractGeometry->GetPlane()->GetOrigin();
 
     right = abstractGeometry->GetPlane()->GetAxisVector(0);
     right.Normalize();
 
     bottom = abstractGeometry->GetPlane()->GetAxisVector(1);
     bottom.Normalize();
 
     normal = abstractGeometry->GetPlane()->GetNormal();
     normal.Normalize();
 
     // Use a combination of the InputGeometry *and* the possible non-rigid
     // AbstractTransformGeometry for reslicing the 3D Image
     vtkSmartPointer<vtkGeneralTransform> composedResliceTransform = vtkSmartPointer<vtkGeneralTransform>::New();
     composedResliceTransform->Identity();
     composedResliceTransform->Concatenate(
       inputTimeGeometry->GetGeometryForTimeStep( m_TimeStep )->GetVtkTransform()->GetLinearInverse() );
     composedResliceTransform->Concatenate(
       abstractGeometry->GetVtkAbstractTransform()
       );
 
     m_Reslicer->SetResliceTransform( composedResliceTransform );
 
     // Set background level to BLACK instead of translucent, to avoid
     // boundary artifacts (see PlaneGeometryDataVtkMapper3D)
-    m_Reslicer->SetBackgroundLevel( -1023 );
+    // Note: Backgroundlevel was hardcoded before to -1023
+    m_Reslicer->SetBackgroundLevel( m_BackgroundLevel );
   }
   else{
     if ( planeGeometry != NULL )
     {
       //if the worldGeomatry is a PlaneGeometry everthing is straight forward
 
       origin = planeGeometry->GetOrigin();
       right  = planeGeometry->GetAxisVector( 0 );
       bottom = planeGeometry->GetAxisVector( 1 );
       normal = planeGeometry->GetNormal();
 
       if ( m_InPlaneResampleExtentByGeometry )
       {
         // Resampling grid corresponds to the current world geometry. This
         // means that the spacing of the output 2D image depends on the
         // currently selected world geometry, and *not* on the image itself.
         extent[0] = m_WorldGeometry->GetExtent( 0 );
         extent[1] = m_WorldGeometry->GetExtent( 1 );
       }
       else
       {
         // Resampling grid corresponds to the input geometry. This means that
         // the spacing of the output 2D image is directly derived from the
         // associated input image, regardless of the currently selected world
         // geometry.
         Vector3D rightInIndex, bottomInIndex;
         inputTimeGeometry->GetGeometryForTimeStep( m_TimeStep )->WorldToIndex( right, rightInIndex );
         inputTimeGeometry->GetGeometryForTimeStep( m_TimeStep )->WorldToIndex( bottom, bottomInIndex );
         extent[0] = rightInIndex.GetNorm();
         extent[1] = bottomInIndex.GetNorm();
       }
 
       // Get the extent of the current world geometry and calculate resampling
       // spacing therefrom.
       widthInMM = m_WorldGeometry->GetExtentInMM( 0 );
       heightInMM = m_WorldGeometry->GetExtentInMM( 1 );
 
       m_OutPutSpacing[0] = widthInMM / extent[0];
       m_OutPutSpacing[1] = heightInMM / extent[1];
 
       right.Normalize();
       bottom.Normalize();
       normal.Normalize();
 
       /*
       * Transform the origin to center based coordinates.
       * Note:
       * This is needed besause vtk's origin is center based too (!!!) ( see 'The VTK book' page 88 )
       * and the worldGeometry surrouding the image is no imageGeometry. So the worldGeometry
       * has its origin at the corner of the voxel and needs to be transformed.
       */
       origin += right * ( m_OutPutSpacing[0] * 0.5 );
       origin += bottom * ( m_OutPutSpacing[1] * 0.5 );
 
       //set the tranform for reslicing.
       // Use inverse transform of the input geometry for reslicing the 3D image.
       // This is needed if the image volume already transformed
       if(m_ResliceTransform.IsNotNull())
         m_Reslicer->SetResliceTransform(m_ResliceTransform->GetVtkTransform()->GetLinearInverse());
 
       // Set background level to TRANSLUCENT (see PlaneGeometryDataVtkMapper3D),
       // else the background of the image turns out gray
-      m_Reslicer->SetBackgroundLevel( -32768 );
+      // Note: Backgroundlevel was hardcoded to -32768
+      m_Reslicer->SetBackgroundLevel( m_BackgroundLevel );
     }
     else
     {
       itkExceptionMacro("mitk::ExtractSliceFilter: No fitting geometry for reslice axis!");
       return;
     }
   }
 
   if(m_ResliceTransform.IsNotNull()){
     //if the resliceTransform is set the reslice axis are recalculated.
     //Thus the geometry information is not fitting. Therefor a unitSpacingFilter
     //is used to set up a global spacing of 1 and compensate the transform.
     vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageChangeInformation> unitSpacingImageFilter = vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageChangeInformation>::New() ;
     unitSpacingImageFilter->ReleaseDataFlagOn();
 
     unitSpacingImageFilter->SetOutputSpacing( 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 );
     unitSpacingImageFilter->SetInputData( input->GetVtkImageData(m_TimeStep) );
 
     m_Reslicer->SetInputConnection(unitSpacingImageFilter->GetOutputPort() );
   }
   else
   {
     //if no tranform is set the image can be used directly
     m_Reslicer->SetInputData(input->GetVtkImageData(m_TimeStep));
   }
 
   /*setup the plane where vktImageReslice extracts the slice*/
 
   //ResliceAxesOrigin is the ancor point of the plane
   double originInVtk[3];
   itk2vtk(origin, originInVtk);
   m_Reslicer->SetResliceAxesOrigin(originInVtk);
 
   //the cosines define the plane: x and y are the direction vectors, n is the planes normal
   //this specifies a matrix 3x3
   //  x1 y1 n1
   //  x2 y2 n2
   //  x3 y3 n3
   double cosines[9];
 
   vnl2vtk(right.GetVnlVector(), cosines);//x
 
   vnl2vtk(bottom.GetVnlVector(), cosines + 3);//y
 
   vnl2vtk(normal.GetVnlVector(), cosines + 6);//n
 
   m_Reslicer->SetResliceAxesDirectionCosines(cosines);
 
   //we only have one slice, not a volume
   m_Reslicer->SetOutputDimensionality(m_OutputDimension);
 
   //set the interpolation mode for slicing
   switch(this->m_InterpolationMode){
   case RESLICE_NEAREST:
     m_Reslicer->SetInterpolationModeToNearestNeighbor();
     break;
   case RESLICE_LINEAR:
     m_Reslicer->SetInterpolationModeToLinear();
     break;
   case RESLICE_CUBIC:
     m_Reslicer->SetInterpolationModeToCubic();
     break;
   default:
     //the default interpolation used by mitk
     m_Reslicer->SetInterpolationModeToNearestNeighbor();
   }
 
   /*========== BEGIN setup extent of the slice ==========*/
   int xMin, xMax, yMin, yMax;
 
   xMin = yMin = 0;
   xMax = static_cast< int >( extent[0]);
   yMax = static_cast< int >( extent[1]);
 
   double sliceBounds[6];
   if (m_WorldGeometry->GetReferenceGeometry())
   {
     for ( int i = 0; i < 6; ++i )
     {
       sliceBounds[i] = 0.0;
     }
 
     if (this->GetClippedPlaneBounds( m_WorldGeometry->GetReferenceGeometry(), planeGeometry, sliceBounds ))
     {
       // Calculate output extent (integer values)
       xMin = static_cast< int >( sliceBounds[0] / m_OutPutSpacing[0] + 0.5 );
       xMax = static_cast< int >( sliceBounds[1] / m_OutPutSpacing[0] + 0.5 );
       yMin = static_cast< int >( sliceBounds[2] / m_OutPutSpacing[1] + 0.5 );
       yMax = static_cast< int >( sliceBounds[3] / m_OutPutSpacing[1] + 0.5 );
     } // ELSE we use the default values
   }
 
   // Set the output extents! First included pixel index and last included pixel index
   // xMax and yMax are one after the last pixel. so they have to be decremented by 1.
   // In case we have a 2D image, xMax or yMax might be 0. in this case, do not decrement, but take 0.
 
   m_Reslicer->SetOutputExtent(xMin, std::max(0, xMax-1), yMin, std::max(0, yMax-1), m_ZMin, m_ZMax );
   /*========== END setup extent of the slice ==========*/
 
   m_Reslicer->SetOutputOrigin( 0.0, 0.0, 0.0 );
 
   m_Reslicer->SetOutputSpacing( m_OutPutSpacing[0], m_OutPutSpacing[1], m_ZSpacing );
 
   //TODO check the following lines, they are responsible wether vtk error outputs appear or not
   m_Reslicer->UpdateWholeExtent(); //this produces a bad allocation error for 2D images
   //m_Reslicer->GetOutput()->UpdateInformation();
   //m_Reslicer->GetOutput()->SetUpdateExtentToWholeExtent();
 
   //start the pipeline
   m_Reslicer->Update();
 
   /*================ #END setup vtkImageRslice properties================*/
 
   if(m_VtkOutputRequested){
     return;
     //no converting to mitk
     //no mitk geometry will be set, as the output is vtkImageData only!!!
   }
   else
   {
     /*================ #BEGIN Get the slice from vtkImageReslice and convert it to mit::Image================*/
     vtkImageData* reslicedImage;
     reslicedImage = m_Reslicer->GetOutput();
 
     if(!reslicedImage)
     {
       itkWarningMacro(<<"Reslicer returned empty image");
       return;
     }
 
     mitk::Image::Pointer resultImage = this->GetOutput();
 
     //initialize resultimage with the specs of the vtkImageData object returned from vtkImageReslice
     if (reslicedImage->GetDataDimension() == 1)
     {
       // If original image was 2D, the slice might have an y extent of 0.
       // Still i want to ensure here that Image is 2D
       resultImage->Initialize(reslicedImage,1,-1,-1,1);
     }
     else
     {
       resultImage->Initialize(reslicedImage);
     }
 
     //transfer the voxel data
     resultImage->SetVolume(reslicedImage->GetScalarPointer());
 
     //set the geometry from current worldgeometry for the reusultimage
     //this is needed that the image has the correct mitk geometry
     //the originalGeometry is the Geometry of the result slice
 
     //    mitk::AffineGeometryFrame3D::Pointer originalGeometryAGF = m_WorldGeometry->Clone();
     //    PlaneGeometry::Pointer originalGeometry = dynamic_cast<PlaneGeometry*>( originalGeometryAGF.GetPointer() );
     PlaneGeometry::Pointer originalGeometry = m_WorldGeometry->Clone();
 
     originalGeometry->GetIndexToWorldTransform()->SetMatrix(m_WorldGeometry->GetIndexToWorldTransform()->GetMatrix());
 
     //the origin of the worldGeometry is transformed to center based coordinates to be an imageGeometry
     Point3D sliceOrigin = originalGeometry->GetOrigin();
 
     sliceOrigin += right * ( m_OutPutSpacing[0] * 0.5 );
     sliceOrigin += bottom * ( m_OutPutSpacing[1] * 0.5 );
 
     //a worldGeometry is no imageGeometry, thus it is manually set to true
     originalGeometry->ImageGeometryOn();
 
     /*At this point we have to adjust the geometry because the origin isn't correct.
     The wrong origin is related to the rotation of the current world geometry plane.
     This causes errors on transfering world to index coordinates. We just shift the
     origin in each direction about the amount of the expanding (needed while rotating
     the plane).
     */
     Vector3D axis0 = originalGeometry->GetAxisVector(0);
     Vector3D axis1 = originalGeometry->GetAxisVector(1);
     axis0.Normalize();
     axis1.Normalize();
 
     //adapt the origin. Note that for orthogonal planes the minima are '0' and thus the origin stays the same.
     sliceOrigin += (axis0 * (xMin * m_OutPutSpacing[0])) + (axis1 * (yMin * m_OutPutSpacing[1]));
 
     originalGeometry->SetOrigin(sliceOrigin);
 
     originalGeometry->Modified();
 
     resultImage->SetGeometry( originalGeometry );
 
     /*the bounds as well as the extent of the worldGeometry are not adapted correctly during crosshair rotation.
     This is only a quick fix and has to be evaluated.
     The new bounds are set via the max values of the calcuted slice extent. It will look like [ 0, x, 0, y, 0, 1].
     */
     mitk::BoundingBox::BoundsArrayType boundsCopy;
     boundsCopy[0] = boundsCopy[2] = boundsCopy[4] = 0;
     boundsCopy[5] = 1;
     boundsCopy[1] =  xMax - xMin;
     boundsCopy[3] =  yMax - yMin;
     resultImage->GetGeometry()->SetBounds(boundsCopy);
 
     /*================ #END Get the slice from vtkImageReslice and convert it to mitk Image================*/
   }
 }
 
 bool mitk::ExtractSliceFilter::GetClippedPlaneBounds(double bounds[6]){
   if(!m_WorldGeometry || !this->GetInput())
     return false;
 
   return this->GetClippedPlaneBounds(m_WorldGeometry->GetReferenceGeometry(), dynamic_cast< const PlaneGeometry * >( m_WorldGeometry ), bounds);
 }
 
 bool mitk::ExtractSliceFilter::GetClippedPlaneBounds( const BaseGeometry *boundingGeometry,
                                                      const PlaneGeometry *planeGeometry, double *bounds )
 {
   bool b =  mitk::PlaneClipping::CalculateClippedPlaneBounds(boundingGeometry, planeGeometry, bounds);
 
   return b;
 }
diff --git a/Core/Code/Algorithms/mitkExtractSliceFilter.h b/Core/Code/Algorithms/mitkExtractSliceFilter.h
index 9f6e1f75e9..424df501db 100644
--- a/Core/Code/Algorithms/mitkExtractSliceFilter.h
+++ b/Core/Code/Algorithms/mitkExtractSliceFilter.h
@@ -1,175 +1,179 @@
 /*===================================================================
 
 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 mitkExtractSliceFilter_h_Included
 #define mitkExtractSliceFilter_h_Included
 
 
 #include "MitkCoreExports.h"
 #include "mitkImageToImageFilter.h"
 #include <vtkSmartPointer.h>
 
 #include <vtkImageReslice.h>
 #include <vtkMatrix4x4.h>
 #include <vtkImageData.h>
 #include <vtkPoints.h>
 #include <vtkTransform.h>
 #include <vtkAbstractTransform.h>
 
 namespace mitk
 {
   /**
   \brief ExtractSliceFilter extracts a 2D abitrary oriented slice from a 3D volume.
 
   The filter can reslice in all orthogonal planes such as sagittal, coronal and axial,
   and is also able to reslice a abitrary oriented oblique plane.
   Curved planes are specified via an AbstractTransformGeometry as the input worldgeometry.
 
   The convinient workflow is:
   1. Set an image as input.
   2. Set the worldPlaneGeometry. This defines a grid where the slice is being extracted
   3. And then start the pipeline.
 
   There are a few more properties that can be set to modify the behavior of the slicing.
   The properties are:
   - interpolation mode either Nearestneighbor, Linear or Cubic.
   - a transform this is a convinient way to adapt the reslice axis for the case
   that the image is transformed e.g. rotated.
   - time step the time step in a times volume.
   - resample by geometry wether the resampling grid corresponds to the specs of the
   worldgeometry or is directly derived from the input image
 
   By default the properties are set to:
   - interpolation mode Nearestneighbor.
   - a transform NULL (No transform is set).
   - time step 0.
   - resample by geometry false (Corresponds to input image).
   */
   class MITK_CORE_EXPORT ExtractSliceFilter : public ImageToImageFilter
   {
   public:
 
     mitkClassMacro(ExtractSliceFilter, ImageToImageFilter);
     itkFactorylessNewMacro(Self)
     itkCloneMacro(Self)
 
     mitkNewMacro1Param(Self, vtkImageReslice*);
 
     /** \brief Set the axis where to reslice at.*/
     void SetWorldGeometry(const PlaneGeometry* geometry ){
        this->m_WorldGeometry = geometry;
        this->Modified(); }
 
     /** \brief Set the time step in the 4D volume */
     void SetTimeStep( unsigned int timestep){ this->m_TimeStep = timestep; }
     unsigned int GetTimeStep(){ return this->m_TimeStep; }
 
     /** \brief Set a transform for the reslice axes.
     * This transform is needed if the image volume itself is transformed. (Effects the reslice axis)
     */
     void SetResliceTransformByGeometry(const BaseGeometry* transform){ this->m_ResliceTransform = transform; }
 
     /** \brief Resampling grid corresponds to: false->image    true->worldgeometry*/
     void SetInPlaneResampleExtentByGeometry(bool inPlaneResampleExtentByGeometry){ this->m_InPlaneResampleExtentByGeometry = inPlaneResampleExtentByGeometry; }
 
     /** \brief Sets the output dimension of the slice*/
     void SetOutputDimensionality(unsigned int dimension){ this->m_OutputDimension = dimension; }
 
     /** \brief Set the spacing in z direction manually.
     * Required if the outputDimension is > 2.
     */
     void SetOutputSpacingZDirection(double zSpacing){ this->m_ZSpacing = zSpacing; }
 
     /** \brief Set the extent in pixel for direction z manualy.
     Required if the output dimension is > 2.
     */
     void SetOutputExtentZDirection(int zMin, int zMax) { this->m_ZMin = zMin; this->m_ZMax = zMax; }
 
     /** \brief Get the bounding box of the slice [xMin, xMax, yMin, yMax, zMin, zMax]
     * The method uses the input of the filter to calculate the bounds.
     * It is recommended to use
     * GetClippedPlaneBounds(const BaseGeometry*, const PlaneGeometry*, double*)
     * if you are not sure about the input.
     */
     bool GetClippedPlaneBounds(double bounds[6]);
 
     /** \brief Get the bounding box of the slice [xMin, xMax, yMin, yMax, zMin, zMax]*/
     bool GetClippedPlaneBounds( const BaseGeometry *boundingGeometry,
       const PlaneGeometry *planeGeometry, double *bounds );
 
     /** \brief Get the spacing of the slice. returns mitk::ScalarType[2] */
     mitk::ScalarType* GetOutputSpacing();
 
     /** \brief Get Output as vtkImageData.
     * Note:
     * SetVtkOutputRequest(true) has to be called at least once before
     * GetVtkOutput(). Otherwise the output is empty for the first update step.
     */
     vtkImageData* GetVtkOutput(){ m_VtkOutputRequested = true; return m_Reslicer->GetOutput(); }
 
     /** Set VtkOutPutRequest to suppress the convertion of the image.
     * It is suggested to use this with GetVtkOutput().
     * Note:
     * SetVtkOutputRequest(true) has to be called at least once before
     * GetVtkOutput(). Otherwise the output is empty for the first update step.
     */
     void SetVtkOutputRequest(bool isRequested){ m_VtkOutputRequested = isRequested; }
 
     /** \brief Get the reslices axis matrix.
     * Note: the axis are recalculated when calling SetResliceTransformByGeometry.
     */
     vtkMatrix4x4* GetResliceAxes(){
       return this->m_Reslicer->GetResliceAxes();
     }
 
+    void SetBackgroundLevel(double backgroundLevel) { m_BackgroundLevel = backgroundLevel; }
+
     enum ResliceInterpolation { RESLICE_NEAREST=0, RESLICE_LINEAR=1, RESLICE_CUBIC=3 };
 
     void SetInterpolationMode( ExtractSliceFilter::ResliceInterpolation interpolation){ this->m_InterpolationMode = interpolation; }
 
   protected:
     ExtractSliceFilter(vtkImageReslice* reslicer = NULL);
     virtual ~ExtractSliceFilter();
 
     virtual void GenerateData();
     virtual void GenerateOutputInformation();
     virtual void GenerateInputRequestedRegion();
 
     const PlaneGeometry* m_WorldGeometry;
     vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageReslice> m_Reslicer;
 
     unsigned int m_TimeStep;
 
     unsigned int m_OutputDimension;
 
     double m_ZSpacing;
 
     int m_ZMin;
 
     int m_ZMax;
 
     ResliceInterpolation m_InterpolationMode;
 
     BaseGeometry::ConstPointer m_ResliceTransform;
 
     bool m_InPlaneResampleExtentByGeometry;//Resampling grid corresponds to:  false->image    true->worldgeometry
 
     mitk::ScalarType* m_OutPutSpacing;
 
     bool m_VtkOutputRequested;
+
+    double m_BackgroundLevel;
   };
 }
 
 #endif // mitkExtractSliceFilter_h_Included