A tool navigation system, comprising: an ultrasound probe configured to generate an acoustic image plane for scanning an anatomical region; an ultrasound scanner operatively connected to the ultrasound probe, the ultrasound scanner being configured to generate an ultrasound image of the anatomical region; an interventional tool configured to be navigated within the anatomical region relative to the acoustic image plane; and wherein the interventional tool has a distal tip; at least one ultrasound transducer connected to the interventional tool to communicate at least one ultrasound tracking signal between the ultrasound probe and the interventional tool indicative of a distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane as the interventional tool is navigated within the anatomical region; the at least one ultrasound transducer being disposed on the distal tip of the interventional tool; a tool tracker operatively connected to the at least one ultrasound transducer to track the distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane; wherein the tool tracker is configured to estimate the distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane as a function of an amplitude of the at least one ultrasound tracking signal; and an image navigator operatively connected to the ultrasound scanner and the tool tracker to display a graphical icon on the ultrasound image of the anatomical region as generated by the ultrasound scanner for illustrating a tracking by the tool tracker of the distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane, wherein the image navigator is configured to modulate at least one aspect of the graphical icon responsive to the distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane as tracked by the tool tracker; wherein the at least one aspect of the graphical icon includes at least one of a size, a shape and a color of the graphical icon; and wherein the image navigator is configured to monotonically modulate the at least one aspect of the graphical icon as a function of at least one of an amplitude and a signal-to-noise ratio of the at least one ultrasound tracking signal. an ultrasound probe configured to generate an acoustic image plane for scanning an anatomical region; an ultrasound scanner operatively connected to the ultrasound probe, the ultrasound scanner being configured to generate an ultrasound image of the anatomical region; an interventional tool configured to be navigated within the anatomical region relative to the acoustic image plane; and wherein the interventional tool has a distal tip; at least one ultrasound transducer connected to the interventional tool to communicate at least one ultrasound tracking signal between the ultrasound probe and the interventional tool indicative of a distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane as the interventional tool is navigated within the anatomical region; the at least one ultrasound transducer being disposed on the distal tip of the interventional tool; a tool tracker operatively connected to the at least one ultrasound transducer to track the distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane; wherein the tool tracker is configured to estimate the distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane as a function of an amplitude of the at least one ultrasound tracking signal; and an image navigator operatively connected to the ultrasound scanner and the tool tracker to display a graphical icon on the ultrasound image of the anatomical region as generated by the ultrasound scanner for illustrating a tracking by the tool tracker of the distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane, wherein the image navigator is configured to modulate at least one aspect of the graphical icon responsive to the distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane as tracked by the tool tracker; wherein the at least one aspect of the graphical icon includes at least one of a size, a shape and a color of the graphical icon; and wherein the image navigator is configured to monotonically modulate the at least one aspect of the graphical icon as a function of at least one of an amplitude and a signal-to-noise ratio of the at least one ultrasound tracking signal.