A highly portable ultrasound system is configured using a wireless ultrasound probe (10), a processor dongle (30) containing a radio and a digital processor running an operating system and an ultrasound control program, and any conveniently available television receiver or display monitor. The sonographer only needs to carry the small wireless probe and the thumbdrive-like dongle in order to turn any available display device, together with the two components carried by the sonographer, into a completely functional ultrasound system. The sonographer can enter a patient's hospital room, plug the processor dongle into the patient monitor in the room, and conduct an ultrasound exam using the patient monitor as the system display, for instance. The system can be controlled by a touchscreen tablet computer, a wireless mouse, or by distinct gestures made by the probe.
