Добавить vertical-align: top;
к вашему <div>
.
<div style="display:inline-block; width:65px; height:40px; background-color: yellow; text-align: left;border: 1px solid black;vertical-align:top;"></div>
Демо: http://jsfiddle.net/ThinkingStiff/xvpYF/
HTML:
<table border="1">
<tr>
<td height="50" valign="top">
<div style="display:inline-block; width:65px; height:40px; background-color: yellow; text-align: left;border: 1px solid black;vertical-align:top;"></div>
<input type="button" value="button">
Some text
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="50" valign="top">
<img src="images/spacer.gif" width="65" height="40" align="left" border="1">
<input type="button" value="button">
Some text
</td>
</tr>
</table>
Вывод: