Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmission and reception of three dimensional image data is disclosed where vertex data, together with information on the displacement of vertices is sent for reception and reconstruction of a three dimensional object using a surface subdivision process. The method employed is characterised by all displacements for vertices of a greater magnitude being sent, received and applied before all displacements for vertices of a lesser magnitude, so that premature termination of the process results in varying degrees of surface precision, but with image integrity. The transmission and reception process employs a SPHIT Tree applied to a three dimensional object rather than to a two dimensional surface (for which SPHIT Trees were created). The SPHIT Tree also eliminates the need for a sign digit for representing the direction of displacements of vertices. Data compression and decompression is used, employing the Arithmetic Coding data compression method.