diff --git a/Core/Code/DataManagement/mitkVector.h b/Core/Code/DataManagement/mitkVector.h
index d523b7077f..295f9faa91 100644
--- a/Core/Code/DataManagement/mitkVector.h
+++ b/Core/Code/DataManagement/mitkVector.h
@@ -1,355 +1,436 @@
 /*=========================================================================
 
 Program:   Medical Imaging & Interaction Toolkit
 Language:  C++
 Date:      $Date$
 Version:   $Revision$
 
 Copyright (c) German Cancer Research Center, Division of Medical and
 Biological Informatics. All rights reserved.
 See MITKCopyright.txt or http://www.mitk.org/copyright.html for details.
 
 This software is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even
 the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
 PURPOSE.  See the above copyright notices for more information.
 
 =========================================================================*/
 
 
 #ifndef MITKVECTOR_H_HEADER_INCLUDED_C1EBD0AD
 #define MITKVECTOR_H_HEADER_INCLUDED_C1EBD0AD
 
 #include <itkPoint.h>
 #include <float.h>
 #include <itkIndex.h>
 #include <itkContinuousIndex.h>
 #include <itkVector.h>
 #include <itkMatrix.h>
 #include <itkTransform.h>
 #include <vnl/vnl_quaternion.h>
 #include "mitkCommon.h"
 
 #ifndef DOXYGEN_SKIP
 
 namespace mitk {
 typedef float ScalarType;
 
 typedef itk::Matrix<ScalarType, 3, 3> Matrix3D;
 typedef itk::Matrix<ScalarType,4,4> Matrix4D;
 typedef vnl_matrix_fixed<ScalarType, 3, 3> VnlMatrix3D;
 typedef itk::Transform<ScalarType, 3, 3> Transform3D;
 typedef vnl_vector<ScalarType> VnlVector;
 typedef vnl_vector_ref<ScalarType> VnlVectorRef;
 
 typedef itk::Point<ScalarType,2> Point2D;
 typedef itk::Point<ScalarType,3> Point3D;
 typedef itk::Point<ScalarType,4> Point4D;
 typedef itk::Point<int,2> Point2I;
 typedef itk::Point<int,3> Point3I;
 typedef itk::Point<int,4> Point4I;
 typedef itk::Vector<ScalarType,2> Vector2D;
 typedef itk::Vector<ScalarType,3> Vector3D;
 typedef itk::Index<3> Index3D;
 typedef itk::ContinuousIndex<ScalarType, 3> ContinuousIndex3D;
 typedef vnl_quaternion<ScalarType> Quaternion;
 
 //##Documentation
 //##@brief enumeration of the type a point can be
 enum PointSpecificationType
 {
   PTUNDEFINED = 0,
   PTSTART,
   PTCORNER,
   PTEDGE, 
   PTEND
 };
 
 typedef itk::NumericTraits<mitk::ScalarType> ScalarTypeNumericTraits;
 MITK_CORE_EXPORT extern const ScalarType eps;
 MITK_CORE_EXPORT extern const ScalarType sqrteps;
 MITK_CORE_EXPORT extern const double large;
 
 template <class T> class VectorTraits {
   public:
     typedef T ValueType;
 };
 
 template <> class VectorTraits<VnlVector> {
   public:
     typedef ScalarType ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits<double[4]> {
   public:
     typedef double ValueType;
 };
 template<> class VectorTraits< itk::Index<5> > {
   public:
     typedef itk::Index<5>::IndexValueType ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< itk::Index<3> > {
   public:
     typedef itk::Index<3>::IndexValueType ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< long int [3]> {
   public:
     typedef long int ValueType;
 };
 template<> class VectorTraits< float [3]> {
   public:
     typedef float ValueType;
 };
 template<> class VectorTraits< double [3]> {
   public:
     typedef double ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< vnl_vector_fixed<ScalarType, 3> > {
   public:
     typedef ScalarType ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< long unsigned int[3]> {
   public:
     typedef long unsigned int ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< unsigned int *> {
   public:
     typedef unsigned int ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< ScalarType[4] > {
   public:
     typedef ScalarType ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< itk::Vector<float,3> > {
   public:
     typedef float ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< itk::Point<float,3> > {
   public:
     typedef float ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< itk::Point<float,4> > {
   public:
     typedef float ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< itk::Vector<double,3> > {
   public:
     typedef double ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< itk::Point<double,3> > {
   public:
     typedef double ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< itk::Vector<int,3> > {
   public:
     typedef int ValueType;
 };
 
 template<> class VectorTraits< itk::Point<int,3> > {
   public:
     typedef int ValueType;
 };
 
 template <class Tin, class Tout>
   inline void itk2vtk(const Tin& in, Tout& out)
 {
   out[0]=(typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)(in[0]);
   out[1]=(typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)(in[1]);
   out[2]=(typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)(in[2]);
 }
 
 template <class Tin, class Tout>
   inline void vtk2itk(const Tin& in, Tout& out)
 {
   out[0]=(typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)(in[0]);
   out[1]=(typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)(in[1]);
   out[2]=(typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)(in[2]);
 }
 template <class Tout>
   inline void FillVector3D(Tout& out, ScalarType x, ScalarType y, ScalarType z)
 {
   out[0] = (typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)x;
   out[1] = (typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)y;
   out[2] = (typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)z;
 }
 template <class Tout>
   inline void FillVector4D(Tout& out, ScalarType x, ScalarType y, ScalarType z, ScalarType t)
 {
   out[0] = (typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)x;
   out[1] = (typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)y;
   out[2] = (typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)z;
   out[3] = (typename VectorTraits<Tout>::ValueType)t;
 }
 
 
 template <class Tin, class Tout>
   inline void vnl2vtk(const vnl_vector<Tin>& in, Tout *out)
 {
   unsigned int i;
   for(i=0; i<in.size();++i)     
     out[i]=(Tout) (in[i]);
 }
 
 template <class Tin, class Tout>
   inline void vtk2vnl(const Tin *in, vnl_vector<Tout>& out)
 {
   unsigned int i;
   for(i=0; i<out.size();++i)
     out[i]=(Tout) (in[i]);
 }
 
 template <class Tin, class Tout>
   inline void vtk2vnlref(const Tin *in, vnl_vector_ref<Tout>& out)
 {
   unsigned int i;
   for(i=0; i<out.size();++i)
     out[i]=(Tout) (in[i]);
 }
 
 template <class Tin, class Tout, unsigned int n>
   inline void vnl2vtk(const vnl_vector_fixed<Tin, n>& in, Tout *out)
 {
   unsigned int i;
   for(i=0; i<in.size();++i)
     out[i]=(Tout) (in[i]);
 }
 
 template <class Tin, class Tout, unsigned int n>
   inline void vtk2vnl(const Tin *in, vnl_vector_fixed<Tout, n>& out)
 {
   unsigned int i;
   for(i=0; i<out.size();++i)
     out[i]=(Tout) (in[i]);
 }
 
 template <class T, unsigned int NVectorDimension>
   itk::Vector<T, NVectorDimension> operator+(const itk::Vector<T, NVectorDimension> &vector, const itk::Point<T, NVectorDimension> &point)
 {
   itk::Vector<T, NVectorDimension> sub;
   for( unsigned int i=0; i<NVectorDimension; i++) 
   {
     sub[i] = vector[i]+point[i];
   }
   return sub;
 }
 
 template <class T, unsigned int NVectorDimension>
   inline itk::Vector<T, NVectorDimension>& operator+=(itk::Vector<T, NVectorDimension> &vector, const itk::Point<T, NVectorDimension> &point)
 {
   for( unsigned int i=0; i<NVectorDimension; i++) 
   {
     vector[i] += point[i];
   }
   return vector;
 }
 
 template <class T, unsigned int NVectorDimension>
   itk::Vector<T, NVectorDimension> operator-(const itk::Vector<T, NVectorDimension> &vector, const itk::Point<T, NVectorDimension> &point)
 {
   itk::Vector<T, NVectorDimension> sub;
   for( unsigned int i=0; i<NVectorDimension; i++) 
   {
     sub[i] = vector[i]-point[i];
   }
   return sub;
 }
 
 template <class T, unsigned int NVectorDimension>
   inline itk::Vector<T, NVectorDimension>& operator-=(itk::Vector<T, NVectorDimension> &vector, const itk::Point<T, NVectorDimension> &point)
 {
   for( unsigned int i=0; i<NVectorDimension; i++) 
   {
     vector[i] -= point[i];
   }
   return vector;
 }
 
+/*!
+\brief Check for matrix equality with a user defined accuracy. As an equality metric the root mean squared error (RMS) of all elements is calculated.
+\param matrix1 first vnl matrix
+\param matrix2 second vnl matrix
+\epsilon user defined accuracy bounds
+*/
+template <typename TCoordRep, unsigned int NRows, unsigned int NCols>
+inline bool MatrixEqualRMS(const vnl_matrix_fixed<TCoordRep,NRows,NCols>& matrix1,const vnl_matrix_fixed<TCoordRep,NRows,NCols>& matrix2,mitk::ScalarType epsilon=mitk::eps) 
+{
+  if ( (matrix1.rows() == matrix2.rows()) && (matrix1.cols() == matrix2.cols()) )
+  {
+    vnl_matrix_fixed<TCoordRep,NRows,NCols> differenceMatrix = matrix1-matrix2;
+    if (differenceMatrix.rms()<epsilon)
+    {
+      return true;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+  else 
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+/*!
+\brief Check for matrix equality with a user defined accuracy. As an equality metric the root mean squared error (RMS) of all elements is calculated.
+\param matrix1 first itk matrix
+\param matrix2 second itk matrix
+\epsilon user defined accuracy bounds
+*/
+template <typename TCoordRep, unsigned int NRows, unsigned int NCols>
+inline bool MatrixEqualRMS(const itk::Matrix<TCoordRep, NRows, NCols>& matrix1,const itk::Matrix<TCoordRep, NRows, NCols>& matrix2,mitk::ScalarType epsilon=mitk::eps) 
+{
+  return mitk::MatrixEqualRMS(matrix1.GetVnlMatrix(),matrix2.GetVnlMatrix(),epsilon);
+}
+
+/*!
+\brief Check for element-wise matrix equality with a user defined accuracy.
+\param matrix1 first vnl matrix
+\param matrix2 second vnl matrix
+\epsilon user defined accuracy bounds
+*/
+template <typename TCoordRep, unsigned int NRows, unsigned int NCols>
+inline bool MatrixEqualElementWise(const vnl_matrix_fixed<TCoordRep,NRows,NCols>& matrix1,const vnl_matrix_fixed<TCoordRep,NRows,NCols>& matrix2,mitk::ScalarType epsilon=mitk::eps) 
+{
+  if ( (matrix1.rows() == matrix2.rows()) && (matrix1.cols() == matrix2.cols()) )
+  {
+    for( unsigned int r=0; r<NRows; r++)
+    {
+      for( unsigned int c=0; c<NCols; c++ )
+      {
+        TCoordRep difference =  fabs(matrix1(r,c)-matrix2(r,c));
+        if (difference>epsilon)
+        {
+          return false;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return true;   
+  }
+  else 
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+/*!
+\brief Check for element-wise matrix equality with a user defined accuracy.
+\param matrix1 first itk matrix
+\param matrix2 second itk matrix
+\epsilon user defined accuracy bounds
+*/
+template <typename TCoordRep, unsigned int NRows, unsigned int NCols>
+inline bool MatrixEqualElementWise(const itk::Matrix<TCoordRep, NRows, NCols>& matrix1,const itk::Matrix<TCoordRep, NRows, NCols>& matrix2,mitk::ScalarType epsilon=mitk::eps) 
+{
+  return mitk::MatrixEqualElementWise(matrix1.GetVnlMatrix(),matrix2.GetVnlMatrix(),epsilon);
+}
+
 template <typename TCoordRep, unsigned int NPointDimension>
-  inline bool Equal(const itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NPointDimension>& vector1, const itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NPointDimension>& vector2) 
+inline bool Equal(const itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NPointDimension>& vector1, const itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NPointDimension>& vector2) 
 {
   typename itk::Vector<TCoordRep, NPointDimension>::VectorType diff = vector1-vector2;
   return diff.GetSquaredNorm() < mitk::eps; 
 }
 
 template <typename TCoordRep, unsigned int NPointDimension>
   inline bool Equal(const itk::Point<TCoordRep, NPointDimension>& vector1, const itk::Point<TCoordRep, NPointDimension>& vector2) 
 {
   typename itk::Point<TCoordRep, NPointDimension>::VectorType diff = vector1-vector2;
   return diff.GetSquaredNorm() < mitk::eps; 
 }
 
 inline bool Equal(const mitk::VnlVector& vector1, const mitk::VnlVector& vector2) 
 {
   mitk::VnlVector diff = vector1-vector2;
   return diff.squared_magnitude() < mitk::eps; 
 }
 
 inline bool Equal(double scalar1, double scalar2) 
 {
   return fabs(scalar1-scalar2) < mitk::eps;
 }
 
 template <typename TCoordRep, unsigned int NPointDimension>
   inline bool Equal(const vnl_vector_fixed<TCoordRep, NPointDimension> & vector1, const vnl_vector_fixed<TCoordRep, NPointDimension>& vector2) 
 {
   vnl_vector_fixed<TCoordRep, NPointDimension> diff = vector1-vector2;
   return diff.squared_magnitude() < mitk::eps; 
 }
 
 template <typename U, typename V, unsigned int NRows, unsigned int NColumns> 
 inline void TransferMatrix(const itk::Matrix<U, NRows, NColumns>& in, itk::Matrix<V, NRows, NColumns>& out)
 { 
   for (unsigned int i = 0; i < in.RowDimensions; ++i)
     for (unsigned int j = 0; j < in.ColumnDimensions; ++j)
       out[i][j] = in[i][j];
 }
 
 
 } // namespace mitk
 
 #endif //DOXYGEN_SKIP
 
 /*
  * This part of the code has been shifted here to avoid compiler clashes
  * caused by including <itkAffineGeometryFrame.h> before the declaration of
  * the Equal() methods above. This problem occurs when using MSVC and is
  * probably related to a compiler bug. 
  */
 
 #include <itkAffineGeometryFrame.h>
 
 namespace mitk
 {
   typedef itk::AffineGeometryFrame<ScalarType, 3>::TransformType AffineTransform3D;
 }
 
 
 #define mitkSetConstReferenceMacro(name,type) \
   virtual void Set##name (const type & _arg) \
   { \
     itkDebugMacro("setting " << #name " to " << _arg ); \
     if (this->m_##name != _arg) \
       { \
       this->m_##name = _arg; \
       this->Modified(); \
       } \
   }
 
 #define mitkSetVectorMacro(name,type) \
   mitkSetConstReferenceMacro(name,type)
 
 #define mitkGetVectorMacro(name,type) \
   itkGetConstReferenceMacro(name,type)
 
 #endif /* MITKVECTOR_H_HEADER_INCLUDED_C1EBD0AD */
diff --git a/Core/Code/Testing/files.cmake b/Core/Code/Testing/files.cmake
index f4d4aea409..0fae44fb29 100644
--- a/Core/Code/Testing/files.cmake
+++ b/Core/Code/Testing/files.cmake
@@ -1,91 +1,92 @@
 
 # tests with no extra command line parameter
 SET(MODULE_TESTS
   mitkCoreObjectFactoryTest.cpp
   mitkPointSetWriterTest.cpp
   mitkMaterialTest.cpp
   mitkActionTest.cpp
   mitkEnumerationPropertyTest.cpp
   mitkEventTest.cpp
   mitkFocusManagerTest.cpp
   mitkGenericPropertyTest.cpp
   mitkGeometry3DTest.cpp
   mitkGeometryDataToSurfaceFilterTest.cpp
   mitkGlobalInteractionTest.cpp
   mitkImageDataItemTest.cpp
   #mitkImageMapper2DTest.cpp
   mitkImageGeneratorTest.cpp
   mitkBaseDataTest.cpp
   #mitkImageToItkTest.cpp
   mitkInteractorTest.cpp
   mitkITKThreadingTest.cpp
   # mitkLevelWindowManagerTest.cpp
   mitkLevelWindowTest.cpp
   mitkMessageTest.cpp
   #mitkPipelineSmartPointerCorrectnessTest.cpp
   mitkPixelTypeTest.cpp
   mitkPlaneGeometryTest.cpp
   mitkPointSetFileIOTest.cpp
   mitkPointSetTest.cpp
   mitkPointSetInteractorTest.cpp
   mitkPropertyListTest.cpp
   #mitkRegistrationBaseTest.cpp
   #mitkSegmentationInterpolationTest.cpp
   mitkSlicedGeometry3DTest.cpp
   mitkSliceNavigationControllerTest.cpp
   mitkStateMachineTest.cpp
   mitkStateTest.cpp
   mitkSurfaceTest.cpp
   mitkSurfaceToSurfaceFilterTest.cpp
   mitkTimeSlicedGeometryTest.cpp
   mitkTransitionTest.cpp
   mitkUndoControllerTest.cpp
   mitkVtkWidgetRenderingTest.cpp
   mitkVerboseLimitedLinearUndoTest.cpp
   mitkWeakPointerTest.cpp
   mitkTransferFunctionTest.cpp
   #mitkAbstractTransformGeometryTest.cpp
   #mitkPicFileIOTest.cpp
   mitkStepperTest.cpp
   itkTotalVariationDenoisingImageFilterTest.cpp
   mitkRenderingManagerTest.cpp
   vtkMitkThickSlicesFilterTest.cpp
   mitkNodePredicateSourceTest.cpp
+  mitkVectorTest.cpp
 )
 
 # test with image filename as an extra command line parameter
 SET(MODULE_IMAGE_TESTS
   mitkSurfaceVtkWriterTest.cpp
   mitkPicFileWriterTest.cpp
   #mitkImageSliceSelectorTest.cpp
   mitkImageTimeSelectorTest.cpp
   mitkPicFileReaderTest.cpp
   # mitkVtkPropRendererTest.cpp
   mitkDataNodeFactoryTest.cpp
   #mitkSTLFileReaderTest.cpp
 )
 
 # list of images for which the tests are run
 SET(MODULE_TESTIMAGES
   US4DCyl.pic.gz
   Pic3D.pic.gz
   Pic2DplusT.pic.gz
   BallBinary30x30x30.pic.gz
   binary.stl
   ball.stl
 )
 
 SET(MODULE_CUSTOM_TESTS
     #mitkLabeledImageToSurfaceFilterTest.cpp
     #mitkExternalToolsTest.cpp
     mitkDataStorageTest.cpp
     mitkDataNodeTest.cpp
     mitkDicomSeriesReaderTest.cpp
     mitkDICOMLocaleTest.cpp
     mitkEventMapperTest.cpp
     mitkNodeDependentPointSetInteractorTest.cpp
     mitkStateMachineFactoryTest.cpp
     mitkPointSetLocaleTest.cpp
     mitkImageTest.cpp
 	mitkImageWriterTest.cpp
 )
diff --git a/Core/Code/Testing/mitkVectorTest.cpp b/Core/Code/Testing/mitkVectorTest.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b91d57182b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Core/Code/Testing/mitkVectorTest.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*=========================================================================
+
+Program:   Medical Imaging & Interaction Toolkit
+Language:  C++
+Date:      $Date$
+Version:   $Revision$
+
+Copyright (c) German Cancer Research Center, Division of Medical and
+Biological Informatics. All rights reserved.
+See MITKCopyright.txt or http://www.mitk.org/copyright.html for details.
+
+This software is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even
+the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+PURPOSE.  See the above copyright notices for more information.
+
+=========================================================================*/
+
+#include <mitkTestingMacros.h>
+#include <mitkVector.h>
+
+int mitkVectorTest(int /*argc*/, char* /*argv*/[])
+{
+  MITK_TEST_BEGIN("mitkVector");
+  vnl_matrix_fixed<mitk::ScalarType,3,3> vnlMatrix3x3_1;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(0,0) = 1.1;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(0,1) = 0.4;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(0,2) = 5.3;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(1,0) = 2.7;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(1,1) = 3578.56418;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(1,2) = 123.56;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(2,0) = 546.89;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(2,1) = 0.0001;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(2,1) = 1.0;
+  vnl_matrix_fixed<mitk::ScalarType,3,3> vnlMatrix3x3_2;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(0,0) = 1.1000009;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(0,1) = 0.4000009;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(0,2) = 5.3000009;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(1,0) = 2.7000009;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(1,1) = 3578.5641809;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(1,2) = 123.5600009;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(2,0) = 546.8900009;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(2,1) = 0.0001009;
+  vnlMatrix3x3_1(2,1) = 1.0000009;
+
+  mitk::ScalarType epsilon = 0.000001;
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitk::MatrixEqualElementWise(vnlMatrix3x3_1,vnlMatrix3x3_1,0.0),"Test for matrix equality with given epsilon=0.0 and exactly the same matrix elements");
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(!mitk::MatrixEqualElementWise(vnlMatrix3x3_1,vnlMatrix3x3_2,epsilon),"Test for matrix equality with given epsilon=0.0 and slightly different matrix elements");
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitk::MatrixEqualElementWise(vnlMatrix3x3_1,vnlMatrix3x3_2,epsilon),"Test for matrix equality with given epsilon and slightly different matrix elements");
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(!mitk::MatrixEqualRMS(vnlMatrix3x3_1,vnlMatrix3x3_2,epsilon),"Test for matrix equality with given epsilon=0.0 and slightly different matrix elements");
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitk::MatrixEqualRMS(vnlMatrix3x3_1,vnlMatrix3x3_2,epsilon),"Test for matrix equality with given epsilon and slightly different matrix elements");
+
+  MITK_TEST_END();
+}