Since　the　joint　optimization　coding　for　the　level　and　the　map　information　of　transformed　coefficients　has　been　applied　to　the　image　coding　successfully,　this　paper　addresses　the　problem　of　how　to　optimize　the　two　parts　of　information　of　residual　coefficients　jointly　in　the　state-of-the-art　video　coding　standard-H.264/AVC.　In　order　to　solve　this　problem,　this　paper　presents　a　pruning　method　to　zero　out　residual　coefficients,　which　are　not　valuable　for　encoding　in　rate-distortion　optimization　(RDO)　sense.　Furthermore,　a　joint　optimization　scheme　is　presented　to　combine　scalar　quantization　with　this　pruning　method　together　to　further　improve　the　compression　performance　of　the　proposed　algorithm.　Experiments　have　been　conducted　based　on　the　reference　encoder　JM12.4　of　H.264/AVC.　Comparative　studies　show　that　the　proposed　joint　coding　method　can　achieve　a　PSNR　gain　more　than　0.5　dB　at　a　certain　bit　rate.　compared　with　the　coding　method　in　the　H.264/AVC.　Especially,　the　PSNR　gain　can　reach　up　to　0.9　dB,　or　equivalently,　17%　bit　rate　saving　can　be　achieved　at　some　special　cases.　(C)　2011　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.