Embedding Images in PHP Files

[MUG]

Are there any major performance problems when setting up a script like this for small images? I need to embed an image into a PHP script. It seems to do fine on my test machine (200 MHz Pentium 1)

<?php
// File Name: 5stars.gif
// File Size: 222
// File Type: image/gif

ob_start();
$type='image/gif';
?>
R0lGODlhNwAMALMOAP/4p//5sf/5t//6v//3n//5tv/6wf/5uf/6vv/4qv/4pv/3m//3mQAAAAAA
AAAAACH5BAEAAA4ALAAAAAA3AAwAAASL0MlJq70469p0zx8WXi NnlFNziivZWioqNYjs0DYu1vvY
/I1BIQEsBodGoJCYPDKTy+LtIAgAFgzGp0G1YrWz7jW7FX/L1TF4piBk12w3mdJov332eSoPn91h
fxyBdIMphTdken5aioiMfQ2JkJI+YJGVHZeEmZOcmIg+IT90oq EppjOoNzYbra6uEQA7
<?php
$contents = base64_decode(ob_get_contents());
ob_end_clean();

header("Content-type: $type");
echo $contents;
?>