Ultrasound systems and methods for real-time noninvasive spatial temperature estimation are disclosed herein. A method for noninvasive temperature estimation in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology can include, for example, propagating ultrasound waves into tissue and detecting echoes of the ultrasound waves. The ultrasound waves can become nonlinear as they propagate into the tissue. The method can further include monitoring changes in tissue temperature in real-time using a spectral-based temperature estimation approach, which correlates nonlinear acoustic effects with changes in tissue temperature.
