1. A method for storing an image in a relational database table, comprising: (a) receiving a compressed image composed of a plurality of blocks arranged in a plurality of rows/columns, wherein each block is composed of a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; b) loading the compressed image into a buffer; (c) retrieving a set of data from the image header including data related to a plurality of image components; (d) uncompressing the compressed image to produce an uncompressed image; (e) retrieving, from the uncompressed image, image pixel values relating to a component from a block of pixels on a pixel-by-pixel basis; (f) storing the image pixel values in a buffer on a row-by-row basis by appending the image pixel values to previously stored image pixel values in the buffer; (g) repeating steps (e) and (f) until the image pixel values for all blocks in the row have been retrieved and stored; (h) storing each row of image pixel values in the buffer as a row in the relational database table; and (i) repeating steps (e) and (h) until image pixel values for all pixel rows of the image have been retrieved and stored.