diff --git a/src/components/ImageModal.tsx b/src/components/ImageModal.tsx
index 5e31670..07b617a 100644
--- a/src/components/ImageModal.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ImageModal.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { useEffect, useState, useCallback } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useState, useCallback, useMemo } from 'react'
+import { getCachedBlobUrl } from '../lib/image-utils'
 
 interface ImageModalData {
   url: string
@@ -55,24 +56,14 @@ export function ImageModal() {
     }
   }, [isOpen, handleKeyDown])
 
-  if (!isOpen || !imageData) return null
+  // Convert base64 to blob URL for better performance with large images
+  // useMemo ensures we only convert when the URL changes
+  const imageSrc = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!imageData?.url) return ''
+    return getCachedBlobUrl(imageData.url)
+  }, [imageData?.url])
 
-  // Build full image URL
-  let imageSrc = imageData.url
-  if (imageSrc && !imageSrc.startsWith('http') && !imageSrc.startsWith('data:') && !imageSrc.startsWith('blob:')) {
-    // Assume base64 - detect format
-    if (imageSrc.startsWith('/9j/')) {
-      imageSrc = `data:image/jpeg;base64,${imageSrc}`
-    } else if (imageSrc.startsWith('iVBORw')) {
-      imageSrc = `data:image/png;base64,${imageSrc}`
-    } else if (imageSrc.startsWith('R0lGOD')) {
-      imageSrc = `data:image/gif;base64,${imageSrc}`
-    } else if (imageSrc.startsWith('UklGR')) {
-      imageSrc = `data:image/webp;base64,${imageSrc}`
-    } else {
-      imageSrc = `data:image/png;base64,${imageSrc}`
-    }
-  }
+  if (!isOpen || !imageData) return null
 
   // Format metadata for display
   const formatMetadata = (metadata: Record<string, unknown>) => {
diff --git a/src/lib/image-utils.ts b/src/lib/image-utils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dd4eb8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/image-utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+/**
+ * Image utility functions for performance optimization.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Converts a base64 string to a Blob URL.
+ * Blob URLs are much more memory-efficient than data URLs for large images.
+ */
+export function base64ToBlobUrl(base64: string, mimeType?: string): string {
+  // Detect mime type from base64 header if not provided
+  if (!mimeType) {
+    if (base64.startsWith('/9j/')) {
+      mimeType = 'image/jpeg'
+    } else if (base64.startsWith('iVBORw')) {
+      mimeType = 'image/png'
+    } else if (base64.startsWith('R0lGOD')) {
+      mimeType = 'image/gif'
+    } else if (base64.startsWith('UklGR')) {
+      mimeType = 'image/webp'
+    } else {
+      mimeType = 'image/png' // Default fallback
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Decode base64 to binary
+  const binaryString = atob(base64)
+  const bytes = new Uint8Array(binaryString.length)
+  for (let i = 0; i < binaryString.length; i++) {
+    bytes[i] = binaryString.charCodeAt(i)
+  }
+
+  // Create blob and URL
+  const blob = new Blob([bytes], { type: mimeType })
+  return URL.createObjectURL(blob)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Checks if a string is a base64 image (not a URL or blob URL).
+ */
+export function isBase64Image(str: string): boolean {
+  if (!str) return false
+  return !str.startsWith('http') && !str.startsWith('data:') && !str.startsWith('blob:')
+}
+
+/**
+ * Converts an image source to an optimized blob URL if it's base64.
+ * Returns the original URL if it's already a URL or blob.
+ */
+export function toOptimizedImageUrl(src: string): string {
+  if (!src) return src
+
+  // Already a URL or blob
+  if (src.startsWith('http') || src.startsWith('blob:')) {
+    return src
+  }
+
+  // Data URL - extract base64 and convert
+  if (src.startsWith('data:')) {
+    const base64Match = src.match(/^data:([^;]+);base64,(.+)$/)
+    if (base64Match) {
+      const mimeType = base64Match[1]
+      const base64Data = base64Match[2]
+      if (base64Data) {
+        return base64ToBlobUrl(base64Data, mimeType)
+      }
+    }
+    return src
+  }
+
+  // Raw base64 - convert to blob URL
+  return base64ToBlobUrl(src)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Cache for blob URLs to avoid recreating them.
+ */
+const blobUrlCache = new Map<string, string>()
+const MAX_CACHE_SIZE = 50
+
+/**
+ * Gets or creates an optimized blob URL with caching.
+ * Uses a hash of the first 100 chars + length as cache key for efficiency.
+ */
+export function getCachedBlobUrl(src: string): string {
+  if (!src) return src
+
+  // Already a URL or blob - return as-is
+  if (src.startsWith('http') || src.startsWith('blob:')) {
+    return src
+  }
+
+  // Create cache key from first/last chars and length
+  const cacheKey = `${src.slice(0, 50)}_${src.slice(-50)}_${src.length}`
+
+  // Check cache
+  const cached = blobUrlCache.get(cacheKey)
+  if (cached) {
+    return cached
+  }
+
+  // Convert and cache
+  const blobUrl = toOptimizedImageUrl(src)
+
+  // Evict oldest entries if cache is full
+  if (blobUrlCache.size >= MAX_CACHE_SIZE) {
+    const firstKey = blobUrlCache.keys().next().value
+    if (firstKey) {
+      const oldUrl = blobUrlCache.get(firstKey)
+      if (oldUrl?.startsWith('blob:')) {
+        URL.revokeObjectURL(oldUrl)
+      }
+      blobUrlCache.delete(firstKey)
+    }
+  }
+
+  blobUrlCache.set(cacheKey, blobUrl)
+  return blobUrl
+}
+
+/**
+ * Clears a specific blob URL from cache and revokes it.
+ */
+export function revokeCachedBlobUrl(src: string): void {
+  const cacheKey = `${src.slice(0, 50)}_${src.slice(-50)}_${src.length}`
+  const cached = blobUrlCache.get(cacheKey)
+  if (cached?.startsWith('blob:')) {
+    URL.revokeObjectURL(cached)
+    blobUrlCache.delete(cacheKey)
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Clears all cached blob URLs.
+ */
+export function clearBlobUrlCache(): void {
+  for (const url of blobUrlCache.values()) {
+    if (url.startsWith('blob:')) {
+      URL.revokeObjectURL(url)
+    }
+  }
+  blobUrlCache.clear()
+}
diff --git a/src/nodes/base/BaseNode.ts b/src/nodes/base/BaseNode.ts
index f7993a7..6524c0d 100644
--- a/src/nodes/base/BaseNode.ts
+++ b/src/nodes/base/BaseNode.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { LGraphNode, LGraphCanvas } from 'litegraph.js'
 import type { NodeCategory, ExecutionStatus } from '../../types/nodes'
+import { getCachedBlobUrl } from '../../lib/image-utils'
 
 /**
  * Node class with metadata exposed as static properties.
@@ -119,27 +120,14 @@ const loadingImages = new Set<string>()
 /**
  * Load an image and cache it.
  * Supports URLs, data URLs, and raw base64 strings.
+ * Uses blob URLs for base64 images for better performance with large images.
  */
 function loadImage(url: string): HTMLImageElement | null {
   if (!url) return null
 
-  // Convert raw base64 to data URL if needed
-  let src = url
-  if (!url.startsWith('http') && !url.startsWith('data:') && !url.startsWith('blob:')) {
-    // Assume it's raw base64 data - detect format from magic bytes
-    if (url.startsWith('/9j/')) {
-      src = `data:image/jpeg;base64,${url}`
-    } else if (url.startsWith('iVBORw')) {
-      src = `data:image/png;base64,${url}`
-    } else if (url.startsWith('R0lGOD')) {
-      src = `data:image/gif;base64,${url}`
-    } else if (url.startsWith('UklGR')) {
-      src = `data:image/webp;base64,${url}`
-    } else {
-      // Default to PNG
-      src = `data:image/png;base64,${url}`
-    }
-  }
+  // Convert base64 to blob URL for better performance with large images
+  // Blob URLs are much more memory-efficient than data URLs
+  const src = getCachedBlobUrl(url)
 
   // Return cached image if available
   const cached = imageCache.get(src)