diff --git a/Core/Code/Testing/mitkImageTest.cpp b/Core/Code/Testing/mitkImageTest.cpp
index 3fa1c680fa..fd532c1ffd 100644
--- a/Core/Code/Testing/mitkImageTest.cpp
+++ b/Core/Code/Testing/mitkImageTest.cpp
@@ -1,341 +1,381 @@
 /*===================================================================
 
 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.
 
 ===================================================================*/
 
 // mitk includes
 #include <mitkImage.h>
 #include <mitkImageDataItem.h>
 #include <mitkImageCast.h>
 #include "mitkItkImageFileReader.h"
 #include <mitkTestingMacros.h>
 #include <mitkImageStatisticsHolder.h>
 
+#include "mitkImageSliceSelector.h"
+
 // itk includes
 #include <itkImage.h>
 #include <itkMersenneTwisterRandomVariateGenerator.h>
 
 // stl includes
 #include <fstream>
 
 // vtk includes
 #include <vtkImageData.h>
 
 int mitkImageTest(int argc, char* argv[])
 {
 
   MITK_TEST_BEGIN(mitkImageTest);
 
   //Create Image out of nowhere
   mitk::Image::Pointer imgMem = mitk::Image::New();
   mitk::PixelType pt = mitk::MakeScalarPixelType<int>();
   unsigned int dim[]={100,100,20};
 
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( imgMem.IsNotNull(), "An image was created. ");
 
   // Initialize image
   imgMem->Initialize( pt, 3, dim);
 
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( imgMem->IsInitialized(), "Image::IsInitialized() ?");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( imgMem->GetPixelType() == pt, "PixelType was set correctly.");
 
   int *p = (int*)imgMem->GetData();
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION( p != NULL, "GetData() returned not-NULL pointer.");
 
   // FIXME: this is directly changing the image data
   // filling image
   const unsigned int size = dim[0]*dim[1]*dim[2];
   for(unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i, ++p)
     *p= (signed int)i;
 
   // Getting it again and compare with filled values:
   int *p2 = (int*)imgMem->GetData();
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION( p2 != NULL, "GetData() returned not-NULL pointer.");
 
   bool isEqual = true;
   for(unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i, ++p2)
   {
     if(*p2 != (signed int) i )
     {
       isEqual = false;
     }
   }
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION( isEqual, "The values previously set as data are correct [pixelwise comparison].");
 
   // Testing GetSliceData() and compare with filled values:
   p2 = (int*)imgMem->GetSliceData(dim[2]/2)->GetData();
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( p2 != NULL, "Valid slice data returned");
 
   unsigned int xy_size = dim[0]*dim[1];
   unsigned int start_mid_slice = (dim[2]/2)*xy_size;
   isEqual = true;
   for(unsigned int i=0; i<xy_size; ++i, ++p2)
   {
     if(*p2!=(signed int)(i+start_mid_slice))
     {
       isEqual = false;
     }
   }
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION( isEqual, "The SliceData are correct [pixelwise comparison]. ");
 
   imgMem = mitk::Image::New();
 
   // testing re-initialization of test image
   mitk::PixelType pType = mitk::MakePixelType<int, int, 1>();
   imgMem->Initialize( pType , 3, dim);
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(imgMem->GetDimension()== 3, "Testing initialization parameter dimension!");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(imgMem->GetPixelType() ==  pType, "Testing initialization parameter pixeltype!");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(imgMem->GetDimension(0) == dim[0] &&
     imgMem->GetDimension(1)== dim[1] && imgMem->GetDimension(2)== dim[2], "Testing initialization of dimensions!");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION( imgMem->IsInitialized(), "Image is initialized.");
 
   // Setting volume again:
   imgMem->SetVolume(imgMem->GetData());
 
   //-----------------
   // geometry information for image
   mitk::Point3D origin;
   mitk::Vector3D right, bottom;
   mitk::Vector3D spacing;
   mitk::FillVector3D(origin, 17.0, 19.92, 7.83);
   mitk::FillVector3D(right, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0);
   mitk::FillVector3D(bottom, 0.0, -3.0, 2.0);
   mitk::FillVector3D(spacing, 0.78, 0.91, 2.23);
 
   //InitializeStandardPlane(rightVector, downVector, spacing)
   mitk::PlaneGeometry::Pointer planegeometry = mitk::PlaneGeometry::New();
   planegeometry->InitializeStandardPlane(100, 100, right, bottom, &spacing);
   planegeometry->SetOrigin(origin);
 
   // Testing Initialize(const mitk::PixelType& type, const mitk::Geometry3D& geometry, unsigned int slices) with PlaneGeometry and GetData(): ";
   imgMem->Initialize( mitk::MakePixelType<int, int, 1>(), *planegeometry);
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( imgMem->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin() == static_cast<mitk::Geometry3D*>(planegeometry)->GetOrigin(), "Testing correct setting of geometry via initialize!");
 
   p = (int*)imgMem->GetData();
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( p!=NULL, "GetData() returned valid pointer.");
 
   // Testing Initialize(const mitk::PixelType& type, int sDim, const mitk::PlaneGeometry& geometry) and GetData(): ";
   imgMem->Initialize( mitk::MakePixelType<int, int, 1>() , 40, *planegeometry);
 
   p = (int*)imgMem->GetData();
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( p!=NULL, "GetData() returned valid pointer.");
 
   //-----------------
   // testing origin information and methods
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(  mitk::Equal(imgMem->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin(), origin), "Testing correctness of origin via GetGeometry()->GetOrigin(): ");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(  mitk::Equal(imgMem->GetTimeSlicedGeometry()->GetOrigin(), origin), "Testing correctness of origin via GetTimeSlicedGeometry()->GetOrigin(): ");
 
   // Setting origin via SetOrigin(origin): ";
   mitk::FillVector3D(origin, 37.0, 17.92, 27.83);
   imgMem->SetOrigin(origin);
 
   // Test origin
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(  mitk::Equal(imgMem->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin(), origin), "Testing correctness of changed origin via GetGeometry()->GetOrigin(): ");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(  mitk::Equal(imgMem->GetTimeSlicedGeometry()->GetOrigin(), origin), "Testing correctness of changed origin via GetTimeSlicedGeometry()->GetOrigin(): ");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(  mitk::Equal(imgMem->GetSlicedGeometry()->GetGeometry2D(0)->GetOrigin(), origin),  "Testing correctness of changed origin via GetSlicedGeometry()->GetGeometry2D(0)->GetOrigin(): ");
 
   //-----------------
-  // testing spacing information and methods
+  // testing spacing information and methodsunsigned int dim[]={100,100,20};
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitk::Equal(imgMem->GetGeometry()->GetSpacing(), spacing), "Testing correct spacing from Geometry3D!");
    MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitk::Equal(imgMem->GetTimeSlicedGeometry()->GetSpacing(), spacing), "Testing correctspacing from TimeSlicedGeometry!");
 
   mitk::FillVector3D(spacing, 7.0, 0.92, 1.83);
   imgMem->SetSpacing(spacing);
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(  mitk::Equal(imgMem->GetGeometry()->GetSpacing(), spacing), "Testing correctness of changed spacing via GetGeometry()->GetSpacing(): ");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(  mitk::Equal(imgMem->GetTimeSlicedGeometry()->GetSpacing(), spacing), "Testing correctness of changed spacing via GetTimeSlicedGeometry()->GetSpacing(): ");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(  mitk::Equal(imgMem->GetSlicedGeometry()->GetGeometry2D(0)->GetSpacing(), spacing), "Testing correctness of changed spacing via GetSlicedGeometry()->GetGeometry2D(0)->GetSpacing(): ");
 
   mitk::Image::Pointer vecImg = mitk::Image::New();
   vecImg->Initialize( imgMem->GetPixelType(), *imgMem->GetGeometry(), 2 /* #channels */, 0 /*tDim*/ );
   vecImg->SetImportChannel(imgMem->GetData(), 0, mitk::Image::CopyMemory );
   vecImg->SetImportChannel(imgMem->GetData(), 1, mitk::Image::CopyMemory );
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(vecImg->GetChannelData(0)->GetData() != NULL && vecImg->GetChannelData(1)->GetData() != NULL, "Testing set and return of channel data!");
 
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( vecImg->IsValidSlice(0,0,1) , "");
   MITK_TEST_OUTPUT(<< " Testing whether CopyMemory worked");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(imgMem->GetData() != vecImg->GetData(), "");
   MITK_TEST_OUTPUT(<< " Testing destruction after SetImportChannel");
   vecImg = NULL;
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(vecImg.IsNull() , "testing destruction!");
 
   //-----------------
   MITK_TEST_OUTPUT(<< "Testing initialization via vtkImageData");
   MITK_TEST_OUTPUT(<< " Setting up vtkImageData");
   vtkImageData* vtkimage = vtkImageData::New();
   vtkimage->Initialize();
   vtkimage->SetDimensions( 2, 3, 4);
   double vtkorigin[] =  {-350,-358.203, -1363.5};
   vtkimage->SetOrigin(vtkorigin);
   mitk::Point3D vtkoriginAsMitkPoint;
   mitk::vtk2itk(vtkorigin, vtkoriginAsMitkPoint);
   double vtkspacing[] =  {1.367, 1.367, 2};
   vtkimage->SetSpacing(vtkspacing);
   vtkimage->SetScalarType( VTK_SHORT );
   vtkimage->AllocateScalars();
   std::cout<<"[PASSED]"<<std::endl;
   
   MITK_TEST_OUTPUT(<< " Testing mitk::Image::Initialize(vtkImageData*, ...)");
   mitk::Image::Pointer mitkByVtkImage = mitk::Image::New();
   mitkByVtkImage ->Initialize(vtkimage);
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitkByVtkImage->IsInitialized(), "");
   vtkimage->Delete();
 
   MITK_TEST_OUTPUT(<< " Testing whether spacing has been correctly initialized from vtkImageData");
   mitk::Vector3D spacing2 = mitkByVtkImage->GetGeometry()->GetSpacing();
   mitk::Vector3D vtkspacingAsMitkVector;
   mitk::vtk2itk(vtkspacing, vtkspacingAsMitkVector);
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitk::Equal(spacing2,vtkspacingAsMitkVector), "");
 
   MITK_TEST_OUTPUT(<< " Testing whether GetSlicedGeometry(0)->GetOrigin() has been correctly initialized from vtkImageData");
   mitk::Point3D origin2 = mitkByVtkImage->GetSlicedGeometry(0)->GetOrigin();
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitk::Equal(origin2,vtkoriginAsMitkPoint), "");
 
   MITK_TEST_OUTPUT(<< " Testing whether GetGeometry()->GetOrigin() has been correctly initialized from vtkImageData");
   origin2 = mitkByVtkImage->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin();
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitk::Equal(origin2,vtkoriginAsMitkPoint), "");
 
   MITK_TEST_OUTPUT(<< " Testing whether GetTimeSlicedGeometry()->GetOrigin() has been correctly initialized from vtkImageData");
   origin2 = mitkByVtkImage->GetTimeSlicedGeometry()->GetOrigin();
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitk::Equal(origin2,vtkoriginAsMitkPoint), "");
 
   // TODO test the following initializers on channel-incorporation
   //  void mitk::Image::Initialize(const mitk::PixelType& type, unsigned int dimension, unsigned int *dimensions, unsigned int channels)
   //  void mitk::Image::Initialize(const mitk::PixelType& type, int sDim, const mitk::Geometry2D& geometry2d, bool flipped, unsigned int channels, int tDim )
   //  void mitk::Image::Initialize(const mitk::Image* image) 
   //  void mitk::Image::Initialize(const mitkIpPicDescriptor* pic, int channels, int tDim, int sDim)
 
   //mitk::Image::Pointer vecImg = mitk::Image::New();
   //vecImg->Initialize(PixelType(typeid(float), 6, itk::ImageIOBase::SYMMETRICSECONDRANKTENSOR), *imgMem->GetGeometry(), 2 /* #channels */, 0 /*tDim*/, false /*shiftBoundingBoxMinimumToZero*/ );
   //vecImg->Initialize(PixelType(typeid(itk::Vector<float,6>)), *imgMem->GetGeometry(), 2 /* #channels */, 0 /*tDim*/, false /*shiftBoundingBoxMinimumToZero*/ );
 
   // testing access by index coordinates and by world coordinates
 
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(argc == 2, "Check if test image is accessible!"); 
   const std::string filename = std::string(argv[1]);
   mitk::ItkImageFileReader::Pointer imageReader = mitk::ItkImageFileReader::New();
   try
   {
     imageReader->SetFileName(filename);
     imageReader->Update();
   }
   catch(...) {
     MITK_TEST_FAILED_MSG(<< "Could not read file for testing: " << filename);
     return 0;
   }  
   
   mitk::Image::Pointer image = imageReader->GetOutput();
   
   // generate a random point in world coordinates
   mitk::Point3D xMax, yMax, zMax, xMaxIndex, yMaxIndex, zMaxIndex;
   xMaxIndex.Fill(0.0f);
   yMaxIndex.Fill(0.0f);
   zMaxIndex.Fill(0.0f);
   xMaxIndex[0] = image->GetLargestPossibleRegion().GetSize()[0];
   yMaxIndex[1] = image->GetLargestPossibleRegion().GetSize()[1];
   zMaxIndex[2] = image->GetLargestPossibleRegion().GetSize()[2];
   image->GetGeometry()->IndexToWorld(xMaxIndex, xMax);
   image->GetGeometry()->IndexToWorld(yMaxIndex, yMax);
   image->GetGeometry()->IndexToWorld(zMaxIndex, zMax);
   MITK_INFO << "Origin " << image->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin()[0] << " "<< image->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin()[1] << " "<< image->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin()[2] << "";
   MITK_INFO << "MaxExtend " << xMax[0] << " "<< yMax[1] << " "<< zMax[2] << "";
   mitk::Point3D point;
 
   itk::Statistics::MersenneTwisterRandomVariateGenerator::Pointer randomGenerator = itk::Statistics::MersenneTwisterRandomVariateGenerator::New();
   randomGenerator->Initialize( std::rand() );      // initialize with random value, to get sensible random points for the image
   point[0] = randomGenerator->GetUniformVariate( image->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin()[0], xMax[0]);
   point[1] = randomGenerator->GetUniformVariate( image->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin()[1], yMax[1]);
   point[2] = randomGenerator->GetUniformVariate( image->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin()[2], zMax[2]);
   MITK_INFO << "RandomPoint " << point[0] << " "<< point[1] << " "<< point[2] << "";
 
   // test values and max/min
   mitk::ScalarType imageMin = image->GetStatistics()->GetScalarValueMin();
   mitk::ScalarType imageMax = image->GetStatistics()->GetScalarValueMax();
   mitk::ScalarType value = image->GetPixelValueByWorldCoordinate(point);
   MITK_INFO << imageMin << " "<< imageMax << " "<< value << "";
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION( (value >= imageMin && value <= imageMax), "Value returned is between max/min");
 
   // testing the clone method of mitk::Image
   mitk::Image::Pointer cloneImage = image->Clone();
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(cloneImage->GetDimension() == image->GetDimension(), "Clone (testing dimension)");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(cloneImage->GetPixelType() == image->GetPixelType(), "Clone (testing pixel type)");
   // After cloning an image the geometry of both images should be equal too
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(cloneImage->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin() == image->GetGeometry()->GetOrigin(), "Clone (testing origin)");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(cloneImage->GetGeometry()->GetSpacing() == image->GetGeometry()->GetSpacing(), "Clone (testing spacing)");
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(mitk::MatrixEqualElementWise(cloneImage->GetGeometry()->GetIndexToWorldTransform()->GetMatrix(), image->GetGeometry()->GetIndexToWorldTransform()->GetMatrix()),
-                               "Clone (testing transformation matrix)");
+      "Clone (testing transformation matrix)");
+
+/////////////////////////
+//
+//    AreIdentical() test
+//
+///////////////////////////////
+
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION( mitk::AreIdentical( cloneImage, image ), "Comparing images by AreIdentical( cloneImage, image) " );
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION( mitk::AreIdentical( cloneImage->GetGeometry(), image->GetGeometry()), "Comparing geometries by AreIdentical( geometry )");
+
+  // altering origin to test if the AreIdentical failes
+  cloneImage->GetGeometry()->SetOrigin(point);
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION( !mitk::AreIdentical( cloneImage, image ), "Comparing geometries with different origin. " );
+
+  // comparing
+  mitk::ImageSliceSelector::Pointer sliceSelector = mitk::ImageSliceSelector::New();
+  sliceSelector->SetInput( image );
+  sliceSelector->SetSliceNr( 0 );
+  mitk::Image::Pointer singleSliceImage = sliceSelector->GetOutput();
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION( !mitk::AreIdentical( singleSliceImage, image ), "Comparing 2D and 3D image by AreIdentical() ");
+
+  mitk::PixelType fPType = mitk::MakeScalarPixelType<float>();
+  mitk::PixelType sPType = mitk::MakeScalarPixelType<short>();
+
+  mitk::Image::Pointer floatImage = mitk::Image::New();
+  floatImage->Initialize(fPType, 3, dim);
+
+  mitk::Image::Pointer shortImage = mitk::Image::New();
+  shortImage->Initialize(sPType, 3, dim);
+
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION( !mitk::AreIdentical( floatImage, shortImage ), "Comparing images with different PixelTypes by AreIdentical() ");
+
+  mitk::Image::Pointer floatImage2 = mitk::Image::New();
+  unsigned int alteredDim[]={100,100,30};
+  floatImage2->Initialize(fPType, 3, alteredDim);
+  MITK_TEST_CONDITION( !mitk::AreIdentical( floatImage, floatImage2), "Comparing images with different dimension size by AreIdentica() ")
+
+/////////////////////
 
   for (unsigned int i = 0u; i < cloneImage->GetDimension(); ++i)
   {
     MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(cloneImage->GetDimension(i) == image->GetDimension(i), "Clone (testing dimension " << i << ")");
   }
 
   //access via itk
   if(image->GetDimension()> 3)    // CastToItk only works with 3d images so we need to check for 4d images
   {
     mitk::ImageTimeSelector::Pointer selector = mitk::ImageTimeSelector::New();
     selector->SetTimeNr(0);
     selector->SetInput(image);
     selector->Update();
     image = selector->GetOutput();
   }
 
   if(image->GetDimension()==3)
   {
     typedef itk::Image<float,3> ItkFloatImage3D;
     ItkFloatImage3D::Pointer itkimage;
     mitk::CastToItkImage(image, itkimage);
     MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(itkimage.IsNotNull(), "Test conversion to itk::Image!");
 
     mitk::Point3D itkPhysicalPoint;
     image->GetGeometry()->WorldToItkPhysicalPoint(point, itkPhysicalPoint);
     MITK_INFO << "ITKPoint " << itkPhysicalPoint[0] << " "<< itkPhysicalPoint[1] << " "<< itkPhysicalPoint[2] << "";
 
     mitk::Point3D backTransformedPoint;
     image->GetGeometry()->ItkPhysicalPointToWorld(itkPhysicalPoint, backTransformedPoint);
 
     MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( mitk::Equal(point,backTransformedPoint), "Testing world->itk-physical->world consistency");
 
     itk::Index<3> idx;  
     bool status = itkimage->TransformPhysicalPointToIndex(itkPhysicalPoint, idx);
 
     MITK_INFO << "ITK Index " << idx[0] << " "<< idx[1] << " "<< idx[2] << "";
    
     if(status)
     {
       float valByItk = itkimage->GetPixel(idx);
       MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( mitk::Equal(valByItk, value), "Compare value of pixel returned by mitk in comparison to itk");
     }
     else
     {
       MITK_WARN<< "Index is out buffered region!";
     }
   }
   else
   {
     MITK_INFO << "Image does not contain three dimensions, some test cases are skipped!";
   } 
   
   // clone generated 3D image with one slice in z direction (cf. bug 11058)
   unsigned int* threeDdim = new unsigned int[3];
   threeDdim[0] = 100;
   threeDdim[1] = 200;
   threeDdim[2] = 1;
   mitk::Image::Pointer threeDImage = mitk::Image::New();
   threeDImage->Initialize(mitk::MakeScalarPixelType<float>(), 3, threeDdim);
   mitk::Image::Pointer cloneThreeDImage = threeDImage->Clone();
   // check that the clone image has the same dimensionality as the source image
   MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED( cloneThreeDImage->GetDimension() == 3, "Testing if the clone image initializes with 3D!");
 
   MITK_TEST_END();
 }