An image storage and retrieval system is provided with means for matching and retrieving images based on image content, rather than image file names. In one embodiment, an image storing tool is configured to store an image in a relational database table. The image storing tool converts a compressed image back to the original image with the actual pixel values block-by-block until the entire image line as derived by the width has been decoded for one component or all interleaved components. In another embodiment, an image matching tool is configured to retrieve a stored image in a relational database table and return data values associated with the image. The image matching tool matches image content of an input image against each retrieved image in the relational database table on a line-by-line basis from top to bottom within the same image number and component number.