1. An apparatus for selecting image data representing an arbitrarily shaped image for optimizing transmission of said image data said apparatus comprising: a. first means for transforming said arbitrarily shaped image to transform coefficients; b. second means coupled to said first means for generating a transform coefficient set (TCS) from said transform coefficients, said TCS generator being configured to output said TCS when said TCS represents said selected image data, and to send said TCS to an inverse transform when said TCS does not represent said selected image data; c. third means coupled to said second means for transforming said TCS to a computed region block having computed pel values; and d. fourth means coupled to said third means for replacing computed pel values corresponding to art interior pel set of said arbitrarily shaped image with original pel values of said arbitrarily shaped image so as to form a modified computed region block (MCRB), said fourth means being configured to send a modified computed region block to a reiterative forward transform for re-iteration.