1. A method for transferring medical images through an image optimization module from a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) to one or more different display devices, the method comprising: receiving a medical image in a first platform dependent format of the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) that is accessible by a first format compliant device, the first format compliant device comprising platform dependent resources for decoding said first format; receiving a request for the medical image for viewing on a second format compliant device having one or more image display settings; searching, in response to the request, a file store in the image optimization module for a header associated with the medical image in the second format; if a header for the medical image in the second format is found in the file store: retrieving the medical image in the second format from a database in the image optimization module; and passing the medical image in the second format to the second format compliant device; if a header for the medical image in the second format is not found in the file store: transforming the medical image on the image optimization module from the first format to the second format based on the one or more image display settings of the second format compliant device; generating a header associated with the medical image in the second format; passing the medical image in the second format to the second format compliant device for viewing; storing, in the database in the image optimization module, the medical image in the second format; and storing the generated header in the file store.