1. An apparatus, comprising: a video encoder for encoding picture data for a block in a picture, wherein said video encoder selects from among a plurality of tree structures to encode a binary set of data for indicating coefficient significance for the block and wherein, a set of sub-trees is used to encode a particular part of a significance map, wherein each sub-tree is a data structure used to convey a particular significance map for a set of scanned coefficients, the coefficient significance is mapped to nodes of the tree structures, linked to neighboring coefficients from two dimensions, and wherein some nodes of the tree structures are processed to encode non-zeros, while other nodes of the tree structures are processed to encode zeros, and a flag indicates significance for the significance map.