1. An improved system for performing binary morphology computations on one or more adjacent image pixels comprising: a data flow controller for providing image data in groups of adjacent image pixels, said image data including at least two bits per pixel, a first bit of which contains a binary image value and a second bit of which contains a mask protection bit; a neighborhood generator, which receives said image data and said framing signals and which generates neighborhood data; and a neighborhood processor, for receiving neighborhood pixel data corresponding to a neighborhood of pixels in an image being processed, wherein said neighborhood pixel data is represented using at least first and second bits for each of said pixels, and wherein said first bit is an original binary pixel value and said second bit is a mask protection bit for protecting said original binary pixel value, and for outputting a final binary result, wherein said final binary result is said original binary pixel value for said neighborhood of pixels if said mask protection bit for said neighborhood of pixels is set to protect said original pixel value, and wherein said final binary result is a result value from a binary function look-up table if said mask protection bit for said neighborhood of pixels is not set to protect said original pixel value.