diff --git a/Modules/Classification/CLMiniApps/CLPlanarFigureToNrrd.cpp b/Modules/Classification/CLMiniApps/CLPlanarFigureToNrrd.cpp
index e87d3065f2..d2f2c005cb 100644
--- a/Modules/Classification/CLMiniApps/CLPlanarFigureToNrrd.cpp
+++ b/Modules/Classification/CLMiniApps/CLPlanarFigureToNrrd.cpp
@@ -1,145 +1,144 @@
 /*===================================================================
 
 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 mitkCLPolyToNrrd_cpp
 #define mitkCLPolyToNrrd_cpp
 
 #include "time.h"
 #include <sstream>
 
 #include <mitkIOUtil.h>
 
 #include "mitkCommandLineParser.h"
 #include <mitkPlanarFigureMaskGenerator.h>
 #include <mitkImageAccessByItk.h>
 #include <mitkImageCast.h>
 #include <itkImageRegionIteratorWithIndex.h>
 #include <mitkImageAccessByItk.h>
 
 
 typedef itk::Image< double, 3 >                 FloatImageType;
 typedef itk::Image< unsigned char, 3 >          MaskImageType;
 
 struct MaskParameter
 {
   mitk::Image::Pointer mask;
   unsigned int axis;
   unsigned int slice;
 };
 
 template < typename TPixel, unsigned int VImageDimension >
 void CreateNewMask(const itk::Image< TPixel, VImageDimension > *image, MaskParameter param, mitk::Image::Pointer &output)
 {
   int transform[3][2];
   transform[0][0] = 1; transform[0][1] = 2;
   transform[1][0] = 0; transform[1][1] = 2;
   transform[2][0] = 0; transform[2][1] = 1;
 
   typedef itk::Image<unsigned short, VImageDimension> MaskType;
   typedef itk::Image<unsigned short, 2> Mask2DType;
   typename Mask2DType::Pointer mask = Mask2DType::New();
   mitk::CastToItkImage(param.mask, mask);
 
 
   typename MaskType::Pointer mask3D = MaskType::New();
   mask3D->SetRegions(image->GetLargestPossibleRegion());
   mask3D->SetSpacing(image->GetSpacing());
   mask3D->SetOrigin(image->GetOrigin());
   mask3D->Allocate();
 
   itk::ImageRegionIteratorWithIndex<MaskType> iter(mask3D, mask3D->GetLargestPossibleRegion());
   while (!iter.IsAtEnd())
   {
     auto index = iter.GetIndex();
     iter.Set(0);
     if (index[param.axis] == param.slice)
     {
       Mask2DType::IndexType index2D;
       index2D[0] = index[transform[param.axis][0]];
       index2D[1] = index[transform[param.axis][1]];
       auto pixel = mask->GetPixel(index2D);
       iter.Set(pixel);
     }
     ++iter;
   }
 
   mitk::CastToMitkImage(mask3D, output);
 
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 {
   mitkCommandLineParser parser;
   parser.setArgumentPrefix("--", "-");
   // required params
   parser.addArgument("planar", "p", mitkCommandLineParser::InputDirectory, "Input Polydata", "Path to the input VTK polydata", us::Any(), false);
   parser.addArgument("image", "i", mitkCommandLineParser::OutputDirectory, "Input Image", "Image which defines the dimensions of the Segmentation", us::Any(), false);
   parser.addArgument("output", "o", mitkCommandLineParser::InputFile, "Output file", "Output file. ", us::Any(), false);
   // Miniapp Infos
   parser.setCategory("Classification Tools");
   parser.setTitle("Planar Data to Nrrd Segmentation");
   parser.setDescription("Creates a Nrrd segmentation based on a 2d-vtk polydata.");
   parser.setContributor("MBI");
 
   std::map<std::string, us::Any> parsedArgs = parser.parseArguments(argc, argv);
 
   if (parsedArgs.size()==0)
   {
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
   if ( parsedArgs.count("help") || parsedArgs.count("h"))
   {
     return EXIT_SUCCESS;
   }
 
   try
   {
     mitk::BaseData::Pointer data = mitk::IOUtil::Load(parsedArgs["planar"].ToString())[0];
     mitk::PlanarFigure::Pointer planar = dynamic_cast<mitk::PlanarFigure*>(data.GetPointer());
 
     mitk::Image::Pointer image = mitk::IOUtil::Load<mitk::Image>(parsedArgs["image"].ToString());
 
     mitk::PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::Pointer pfMaskGen = mitk::PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::New();
     pfMaskGen->SetPlanarFigure(planar);
     pfMaskGen->SetTimeStep(0);
-    pfMaskGen->SetInputImage(image);
+    pfMaskGen->SetInputImage(image.GetPointer());
 
     mitk::Image::Pointer mask = pfMaskGen->GetMask();
-    mitk::Image::Pointer refImage = pfMaskGen->GetReferenceImage();
     unsigned int axis = pfMaskGen->GetPlanarFigureAxis();
     unsigned int slice = pfMaskGen->GetPlanarFigureSlice();
 
     //itk::Image<unsigned short, 3>::IndexType index;
     mitk::Image::Pointer fullMask;
     MaskParameter param;
     param.slice = slice;
     param.axis = axis;
     param.mask = mask;
     AccessByItk_2(image, CreateNewMask, param, fullMask);
 
     std::string saveAs = parsedArgs["output"].ToString();
     MITK_INFO << "Save as: " << saveAs;
     mitk::IOUtil::Save(pfMaskGen->GetMask(), saveAs);
     mitk::IOUtil::Save(fullMask, saveAs);
 
     return 0;
   }
   catch (...)
   {
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/Modules/ImageStatistics/mitkPlanarFigureMaskGenerator.cpp b/Modules/ImageStatistics/mitkPlanarFigureMaskGenerator.cpp
index 137e63c367..f80ec0bdc8 100644
--- a/Modules/ImageStatistics/mitkPlanarFigureMaskGenerator.cpp
+++ b/Modules/ImageStatistics/mitkPlanarFigureMaskGenerator.cpp
@@ -1,530 +1,528 @@
 #include <mitkPlanarFigureMaskGenerator.h>
 #include <mitkBaseGeometry.h>
 #include <mitkITKImageImport.h>
 #include "mitkImageAccessByItk.h"
 #include <mitkExtractImageFilter.h>
 #include <mitkConvert2Dto3DImageFilter.h>
 #include <mitkImageTimeSelector.h>
 #include <mitkIOUtil.h>
 
 #include <itkCastImageFilter.h>
 #include <itkVTKImageExport.h>
 #include <itkVTKImageImport.h>
 #include <itkImageDuplicator.h>
 #include <itkExceptionObject.h>
 #include <itkLineIterator.h>
 
 #include <vtkPoints.h>
 #include <vtkImageStencil.h>
 #include <vtkImageImport.h>
 #include <vtkImageExport.h>
 #include <vtkLassoStencilSource.h>
 #include <vtkSmartPointer.h>
 
 
 
 namespace mitk
 {
 
 void PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::SetPlanarFigure(mitk::PlanarFigure::Pointer planarFigure)
 {
     if ( planarFigure.IsNull() )
     {
       throw std::runtime_error( "Error: planar figure empty!" );
     }
 
     const PlaneGeometry *planarFigurePlaneGeometry = planarFigure->GetPlaneGeometry();
     if ( planarFigurePlaneGeometry == nullptr )
     {
       throw std::runtime_error( "Planar-Figure not yet initialized!" );
     }
 
     const auto *planarFigureGeometry =
       dynamic_cast< const PlaneGeometry * >( planarFigurePlaneGeometry );
     if ( planarFigureGeometry == nullptr )
     {
       throw std::runtime_error( "Non-planar planar figures not supported!" );
     }
 
     if (planarFigure != m_PlanarFigure)
     {
         this->Modified();
         m_PlanarFigure = planarFigure;
     }
 
 }
 
 mitk::Image::ConstPointer PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::GetReferenceImage()
 {
     if (IsUpdateRequired())
     {
         this->CalculateMask();
     }
     return m_ReferenceImage;
 }
 
 template < typename TPixel, unsigned int VImageDimension >
 void PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::InternalCalculateMaskFromPlanarFigure(
   const itk::Image< TPixel, VImageDimension > *image, unsigned int axis )
 {
   typedef itk::Image< unsigned short, 2 > MaskImage2DType;
 
   typename MaskImage2DType::Pointer maskImage = MaskImage2DType::New();
   maskImage->SetOrigin(image->GetOrigin());
   maskImage->SetSpacing(image->GetSpacing());
   maskImage->SetLargestPossibleRegion(image->GetLargestPossibleRegion());
   maskImage->SetBufferedRegion(image->GetBufferedRegion());
   maskImage->SetDirection(image->GetDirection());
   maskImage->SetNumberOfComponentsPerPixel(image->GetNumberOfComponentsPerPixel());
   maskImage->Allocate();
   maskImage->FillBuffer(1);
 
   // all PolylinePoints of the PlanarFigure are stored in a vtkPoints object.
   // These points are used by the vtkLassoStencilSource to create
   // a vtkImageStencil.
   const mitk::PlaneGeometry *planarFigurePlaneGeometry = m_PlanarFigure->GetPlaneGeometry();
   const typename PlanarFigure::PolyLineType planarFigurePolyline = m_PlanarFigure->GetPolyLine( 0 );
   const mitk::BaseGeometry *imageGeometry3D = m_inputImage->GetGeometry( 0 );
   // If there is a second poly line in a closed planar figure, treat it as a hole.
   PlanarFigure::PolyLineType planarFigureHolePolyline;
 
   if (m_PlanarFigure->GetPolyLinesSize() == 2)
     planarFigureHolePolyline = m_PlanarFigure->GetPolyLine(1);
 
 
   // Determine x- and y-dimensions depending on principal axis
   // TODO use plane geometry normal to determine that automatically, then check whether the PF is aligned with one of the three principal axis
   int i0, i1;
   switch ( axis )
   {
   case 0:
     i0 = 1;
     i1 = 2;
     break;
 
   case 1:
     i0 = 0;
     i1 = 2;
     break;
 
   case 2:
   default:
     i0 = 0;
     i1 = 1;
     break;
   }
 
   // store the polyline contour as vtkPoints object
   bool outOfBounds = false;
   vtkSmartPointer<vtkPoints> points = vtkSmartPointer<vtkPoints>::New();
   typename PlanarFigure::PolyLineType::const_iterator it;
   for ( it = planarFigurePolyline.begin();
     it != planarFigurePolyline.end();
     ++it )
   {
     Point3D point3D;
 
     // Convert 2D point back to the local index coordinates of the selected
     // image
     // Fabian: From PlaneGeometry documentation:
     // Converts a 2D point given in mm (pt2d_mm) relative to the upper-left corner of the geometry into the corresponding world-coordinate (a 3D point in mm, pt3d_mm).
     // To convert a 2D point given in units (e.g., pixels in case of an image) into a 2D point given in mm (as required by this method), use IndexToWorld.
     planarFigurePlaneGeometry->Map( *it, point3D );
 
     // Polygons (partially) outside of the image bounds can not be processed
     // further due to a bug in vtkPolyDataToImageStencil
     if ( !imageGeometry3D->IsInside( point3D ) )
     {
       outOfBounds = true;
     }
 
     imageGeometry3D->WorldToIndex( point3D, point3D );
 
     points->InsertNextPoint( point3D[i0], point3D[i1], 0 );
   }
 
   vtkSmartPointer<vtkPoints> holePoints = nullptr;
 
   if (!planarFigureHolePolyline.empty())
   {
     holePoints = vtkSmartPointer<vtkPoints>::New();
 
     Point3D point3D;
     PlanarFigure::PolyLineType::const_iterator end = planarFigureHolePolyline.end();
 
     for (it = planarFigureHolePolyline.begin(); it != end; ++it)
     {
       // Fabian: same as above
       planarFigurePlaneGeometry->Map(*it, point3D);
       imageGeometry3D->WorldToIndex(point3D, point3D);
       holePoints->InsertNextPoint(point3D[i0], point3D[i1], 0);
     }
   }
 
   // mark a malformed 2D planar figure ( i.e. area = 0 ) as out of bounds
   // this can happen when all control points of a rectangle lie on the same line = two of the three extents are zero
   double bounds[6] = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0};
   points->GetBounds( bounds );
   bool extent_x = (fabs(bounds[0] - bounds[1])) < mitk::eps;
   bool extent_y = (fabs(bounds[2] - bounds[3])) < mitk::eps;
   bool extent_z = (fabs(bounds[4] - bounds[5])) < mitk::eps;
 
   // throw an exception if a closed planar figure is deformed, i.e. has only one non-zero extent
   if ( m_PlanarFigure->IsClosed() &&
     ((extent_x && extent_y) || (extent_x && extent_z)  || (extent_y && extent_z)))
   {
     mitkThrow() << "Figure has a zero area and cannot be used for masking.";
   }
 
   if ( outOfBounds )
   {
     throw std::runtime_error( "Figure at least partially outside of image bounds!" );
   }
 
   // create a vtkLassoStencilSource and set the points of the Polygon
   vtkSmartPointer<vtkLassoStencilSource> lassoStencil = vtkSmartPointer<vtkLassoStencilSource>::New();
   lassoStencil->SetShapeToPolygon();
   lassoStencil->SetPoints( points );
 
   vtkSmartPointer<vtkLassoStencilSource> holeLassoStencil = nullptr;
 
   if (holePoints.GetPointer() != nullptr)
   {
     holeLassoStencil = vtkSmartPointer<vtkLassoStencilSource>::New();
     holeLassoStencil->SetShapeToPolygon();
     holeLassoStencil->SetPoints(holePoints);
   }
 
   // Export from ITK to VTK (to use a VTK filter)
   typedef itk::VTKImageImport< MaskImage2DType > ImageImportType;
   typedef itk::VTKImageExport< MaskImage2DType > ImageExportType;
 
   typename ImageExportType::Pointer itkExporter = ImageExportType::New();
   itkExporter->SetInput( maskImage );
 //  itkExporter->SetInput( castFilter->GetOutput() );
 
   vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageImport> vtkImporter = vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageImport>::New();
   this->ConnectPipelines( itkExporter, vtkImporter );
 
   // Apply the generated image stencil to the input image
   vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageStencil> imageStencilFilter = vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageStencil>::New();
   imageStencilFilter->SetInputConnection( vtkImporter->GetOutputPort() );
   imageStencilFilter->SetStencilConnection(lassoStencil->GetOutputPort());
   imageStencilFilter->ReverseStencilOff();
   imageStencilFilter->SetBackgroundValue( 0 );
   imageStencilFilter->Update();
 
   vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageStencil> holeStencilFilter = nullptr;
 
   if (holeLassoStencil.GetPointer() != nullptr)
   {
     holeStencilFilter = vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageStencil>::New();
     holeStencilFilter->SetInputConnection(imageStencilFilter->GetOutputPort());
     holeStencilFilter->SetStencilConnection(holeLassoStencil->GetOutputPort());
     holeStencilFilter->ReverseStencilOn();
     holeStencilFilter->SetBackgroundValue(0);
     holeStencilFilter->Update();
   }
 
   // Export from VTK back to ITK
   vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageExport> vtkExporter = vtkSmartPointer<vtkImageExport>::New();
   vtkExporter->SetInputConnection( holeStencilFilter.GetPointer() == nullptr
     ? imageStencilFilter->GetOutputPort()
     : holeStencilFilter->GetOutputPort());
   vtkExporter->Update();
 
   typename ImageImportType::Pointer itkImporter = ImageImportType::New();
   this->ConnectPipelines( vtkExporter, itkImporter );
   itkImporter->Update();
 
   typedef itk::ImageDuplicator< ImageImportType::OutputImageType > DuplicatorType;
   DuplicatorType::Pointer duplicator = DuplicatorType::New();
   duplicator->SetInputImage( itkImporter->GetOutput() );
   duplicator->Update();
 
   // Store mask
   m_InternalITKImageMask2D = duplicator->GetOutput();
 }
 
 template < typename TPixel, unsigned int VImageDimension >
 void PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::InternalCalculateMaskFromOpenPlanarFigure(
   const itk::Image< TPixel, VImageDimension > *image, unsigned int axis )
 {
   typedef itk::Image< unsigned short, 2 >       MaskImage2DType;
   typedef itk::LineIterator< MaskImage2DType >  LineIteratorType;
   typedef MaskImage2DType::IndexType            IndexType2D;
   typedef std::vector< IndexType2D >            IndexVecType;
 
   typename MaskImage2DType::Pointer maskImage = MaskImage2DType::New();
   maskImage->SetOrigin(image->GetOrigin());
   maskImage->SetSpacing(image->GetSpacing());
   maskImage->SetLargestPossibleRegion(image->GetLargestPossibleRegion());
   maskImage->SetBufferedRegion(image->GetBufferedRegion());
   maskImage->SetDirection(image->GetDirection());
   maskImage->SetNumberOfComponentsPerPixel(image->GetNumberOfComponentsPerPixel());
   maskImage->Allocate();
   maskImage->FillBuffer(0);
 
   // all PolylinePoints of the PlanarFigure are stored in a vtkPoints object.
   const mitk::PlaneGeometry *planarFigurePlaneGeometry = m_PlanarFigure->GetPlaneGeometry();
   const typename PlanarFigure::PolyLineType planarFigurePolyline = m_PlanarFigure->GetPolyLine( 0 );
   const mitk::BaseGeometry *imageGeometry3D = m_inputImage->GetGeometry( 0 );
 
   // Determine x- and y-dimensions depending on principal axis
   // TODO use plane geometry normal to determine that automatically, then check whether the PF is aligned with one of the three principal axis
   int i0, i1;
   switch ( axis )
   {
   case 0:
     i0 = 1;
     i1 = 2;
     break;
 
   case 1:
     i0 = 0;
     i1 = 2;
     break;
 
   case 2:
   default:
     i0 = 0;
     i1 = 1;
     break;
   }
 
   int numPolyLines = m_PlanarFigure->GetPolyLinesSize();
   for ( int lineId = 0; lineId < numPolyLines; ++lineId )
   {
     // store the polyline contour as vtkPoints object
     bool outOfBounds = false;
     IndexVecType pointIndices;
     typename PlanarFigure::PolyLineType::const_iterator it;
     for ( it = planarFigurePolyline.begin();
       it != planarFigurePolyline.end();
       ++it )
     {
       Point3D point3D;
 
       planarFigurePlaneGeometry->Map( *it, point3D );
 
       if ( !imageGeometry3D->IsInside( point3D ) )
       {
         outOfBounds = true;
       }
 
       imageGeometry3D->WorldToIndex( point3D, point3D );
 
       IndexType2D index2D;
       index2D[0] = point3D[i0];
       index2D[1] = point3D[i1];
 
       pointIndices.push_back( index2D );
     }
 
     if ( outOfBounds )
     {
       throw std::runtime_error( "Figure at least partially outside of image bounds!" );
     }
 
     for ( IndexVecType::const_iterator it = pointIndices.begin(); it != pointIndices.end()-1; ++it )
     {
       IndexType2D ind1 = *it;
       IndexType2D ind2 = *(it+1);
 
       LineIteratorType lineIt( maskImage, ind1, ind2 );
       while ( !lineIt.IsAtEnd() )
       {
         lineIt.Set( 1 );
         ++lineIt;
       }
     }
   }
 
   // Store mask
   m_InternalITKImageMask2D = maskImage;
 }
 
 bool PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::GetPrincipalAxis(
   const BaseGeometry *geometry, Vector3D vector,
   unsigned int &axis )
 {
   vector.Normalize();
   for ( unsigned int i = 0; i < 3; ++i )
   {
     Vector3D axisVector = geometry->GetAxisVector( i );
     axisVector.Normalize();
 
     if ( fabs( fabs( axisVector * vector ) - 1.0) < mitk::eps )
     {
       axis = i;
       return true;
     }
   }
 
   return false;
 }
 
 void PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::CalculateMask()
 {
     if (m_inputImage.IsNull())
     {
         MITK_ERROR << "Image is not set.";
     }
 
     if (m_PlanarFigure.IsNull())
     {
         MITK_ERROR << "PlanarFigure is not set.";
     }
 
     if (m_TimeStep != 0)
     {
         MITK_WARN << "Multiple TimeSteps are not supported in PlanarFigureMaskGenerator (yet).";
     }
 
     const BaseGeometry *imageGeometry = m_inputImage->GetGeometry();
     if ( imageGeometry == nullptr )
     {
       throw std::runtime_error( "Image geometry invalid!" );
     }
 
     if (m_inputImage->GetTimeSteps() > 0)
     {
         mitk::ImageTimeSelector::Pointer imgTimeSel = mitk::ImageTimeSelector::New();
         imgTimeSel->SetInput(m_inputImage);
         imgTimeSel->SetTimeNr(m_TimeStep);
         imgTimeSel->UpdateLargestPossibleRegion();
         m_InternalTimeSliceImage = imgTimeSel->GetOutput();
     }
     else
     {
         m_InternalTimeSliceImage = m_inputImage;
     }
 
     m_InternalITKImageMask2D = nullptr;
     const PlaneGeometry *planarFigurePlaneGeometry = m_PlanarFigure->GetPlaneGeometry();
     const auto *planarFigureGeometry = dynamic_cast< const PlaneGeometry * >( planarFigurePlaneGeometry );
     //const BaseGeometry *imageGeometry = m_inputImage->GetGeometry();
 
     // Find principal direction of PlanarFigure in input image
     unsigned int axis;
     if ( !this->GetPrincipalAxis( imageGeometry,
       planarFigureGeometry->GetNormal(), axis ) )
     {
       throw std::runtime_error( "Non-aligned planar figures not supported!" );
     }
     m_PlanarFigureAxis = axis;
 
     // Find slice number corresponding to PlanarFigure in input image
     itk::Image< unsigned short, 3 >::IndexType index;
     imageGeometry->WorldToIndex( planarFigureGeometry->GetOrigin(), index );
 
     unsigned int slice = index[axis];
     m_PlanarFigureSlice = slice;
 
     // extract image slice which corresponds to the planarFigure and store it in m_InternalImageSlice
     mitk::Image::ConstPointer inputImageSlice = extract2DImageSlice(axis, slice);
     //mitk::IOUtil::Save(inputImageSlice, "/home/fabian/inputSliceImage.nrrd");
     // Compute mask from PlanarFigure
     // rastering for open planar figure:
     if ( !m_PlanarFigure->IsClosed() )
     {
       AccessFixedDimensionByItk_1(inputImageSlice,
         InternalCalculateMaskFromOpenPlanarFigure,
         2, axis)
     }
     else//for closed planar figure
     {
       AccessFixedDimensionByItk_1(inputImageSlice,
                                   InternalCalculateMaskFromPlanarFigure,
                                   2, axis)
     }
 
     //convert itk mask to mitk::Image::Pointer and return it
     mitk::Image::Pointer planarFigureMaskImage;
     planarFigureMaskImage = mitk::GrabItkImageMemory(m_InternalITKImageMask2D);
     //mitk::IOUtil::Save(planarFigureMaskImage, "/home/fabian/planarFigureMaskImage.nrrd");
 
     //Convert2Dto3DImageFilter::Pointer sliceTo3DImageConverter = Convert2Dto3DImageFilter::New();
     //sliceTo3DImageConverter->SetInput(planarFigureMaskImage);
     //sliceTo3DImageConverter->Update();
     //mitk::IOUtil::Save(sliceTo3DImageConverter->GetOutput(), "/home/fabian/3DsliceImage.nrrd");
 
     m_ReferenceImage = inputImageSlice;
     //mitk::IOUtil::Save(m_ReferenceImage, "/home/fabian/referenceImage.nrrd");
     m_InternalMask = planarFigureMaskImage;
 }
 
 void PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::SetTimeStep(unsigned int timeStep)
 {
     if (timeStep != m_TimeStep)
     {
         m_TimeStep = timeStep;
     }
 }
 
 mitk::Image::Pointer PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::GetMask()
 {
     if (IsUpdateRequired())
     {
         this->CalculateMask();
         this->Modified();
     }
 
     m_InternalMaskUpdateTime = this->GetMTime();
     return m_InternalMask;
 }
 
 mitk::Image::ConstPointer PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::extract2DImageSlice(unsigned int axis, unsigned int slice)
 {
     // Extract slice with given position and direction from image
     unsigned int dimension = m_InternalTimeSliceImage->GetDimension();
-    mitk::Image::ConstPointer imageSlice = mitk::Image::New();
 
     if (dimension == 3)
     {
       ExtractImageFilter::Pointer imageExtractor = ExtractImageFilter::New();
       imageExtractor->SetInput( m_InternalTimeSliceImage );
       imageExtractor->SetSliceDimension( axis );
       imageExtractor->SetSliceIndex( slice );
       imageExtractor->Update();
-      imageSlice = imageExtractor->GetOutput();
+      return imageExtractor->GetOutput();
     }
     else if(dimension == 2)
     {
-      imageSlice = m_InternalTimeSliceImage;
+      return m_InternalTimeSliceImage;
     }
     else
     {
-        MITK_ERROR << "Unsupported image dimension. Dimension is: " << dimension << ". Only 2D and 3D images are supported.";
+      MITK_ERROR << "Unsupported image dimension. Dimension is: " << dimension << ". Only 2D and 3D images are supported.";
+      return nullptr;
     }
-
-    return imageSlice;
 }
 
 bool PlanarFigureMaskGenerator::IsUpdateRequired() const
 {
     unsigned long thisClassTimeStamp = this->GetMTime();
     unsigned long internalMaskTimeStamp = m_InternalMask->GetMTime();
     unsigned long planarFigureTimeStamp = m_PlanarFigure->GetMTime();
     unsigned long inputImageTimeStamp = m_inputImage->GetMTime();
 
     if (thisClassTimeStamp > m_InternalMaskUpdateTime) // inputs have changed
     {
         return true;
     }
 
     if (m_InternalMaskUpdateTime < planarFigureTimeStamp || m_InternalMaskUpdateTime < inputImageTimeStamp) // mask image has changed outside of this class
     {
         return true;
     }
 
     if (internalMaskTimeStamp > m_InternalMaskUpdateTime) // internal mask has been changed outside of this class
     {
         return true;
     }
 
     return false;
 }
 
 }