An ultrasound system (10, 200), comprising an ultrasound probe configured to control transmission of ultrasound and reception of ultrasound echoes with the probe; and a control panel (214, 300) comprising a control surface (302, 304), wherein a plurality of user control areas are arranged at fixed locations along the control surface, the control panel further comprising: a pressure-sensitive capacitive touch layer (410, 510a-c, 610a-b, 710, 710', 810, 910); and a sealing layer (420, 520a-c, 620a-b, 720, 720', 820, 920) disposed over the capacitive touch layer and extending continuously over the plurality of user control areas, the sealing layer comprising at least one topographical feature (334, 434, 522a-b, 524a, 760, 934) associated with at least one user control area of the plurality of user control areas; wherein the at least one topographic feature is arranged at a location corresponding to an active portion of the pressure-sensitive, capacitive-touch layer, wherein the sealing layer comprises end portions bent or shaped down to extend over an edge of the control panel (214, 300) so as to create a sealing lip against a back enclosure of the control panel, and wherein the pressure-sensitive capacitive touch layer at the active portion is configured to detect an amount of pressure associated with a touch applied to the control surface (302, 304) at the least one user control area and invoke a user control function associated with the at least one user control area responsive to the touch only if the amount of detected pressure exceeds a threshold amount. an ultrasound probe configured to control transmission of ultrasound and reception of ultrasound echoes with the probe; and a control panel (214, 300) comprising a control surface (302, 304), wherein a plurality of user control areas are arranged at fixed locations along the control surface, the control panel further comprising: a pressure-sensitive capacitive touch layer (410, 510a-c, 610a-b, 710, 710', 810, 910); and a sealing layer (420, 520a-c, 620a-b, 720, 720', 820, 920) disposed over the capacitive touch layer and extending continuously over the plurality of user control areas, the sealing layer comprising at least one topographical feature (334, 434, 522a-b, 524a, 760, 934) associated with at least one user control area of the plurality of user control areas; wherein the at least one topographic feature is arranged at a location corresponding to an active portion of the pressure-sensitive, capacitive-touch layer, wherein the sealing layer comprises end portions bent or shaped down to extend over an edge of the control panel (214, 300) so as to create a sealing lip against a back enclosure of the control panel, and wherein the pressure-sensitive capacitive touch layer at the active portion is configured to detect an amount of pressure associated with a touch applied to the control surface (302, 304) at the least one user control area and invoke a user control function associated with the at least one user control area responsive to the touch only if the amount of detected pressure exceeds a threshold amount. a pressure-sensitive capacitive touch layer (410, 510a-c, 610a-b, 710, 710', 810, 910); and a sealing layer (420, 520a-c, 620a-b, 720, 720', 820, 920) disposed over the capacitive touch layer and extending continuously over the plurality of user control areas, the sealing layer comprising at least one topographical feature (334, 434, 522a-b, 524a, 760, 934) associated with at least one user control area of the plurality of user control areas; wherein the at least one topographic feature is arranged at a location corresponding to an active portion of the pressure-sensitive, capacitive-touch layer, wherein the sealing layer comprises end portions bent or shaped down to extend over an edge of the control panel (214, 300) so as to create a sealing lip against a back enclosure of the control panel, and wherein the pressure-sensitive capacitive touch layer at the active portion is configured to detect an amount of pressure associated with a touch applied to the control surface (302, 304) at the least one user control area and invoke a user control function associated with the at least one user control area responsive to the touch only if the amount of detected pressure exceeds a threshold amount.