Acoustic coupling for assessment and ablation procedures

Abstract

Acoustic coupling systems and methods are disclosed as these can be used for assessment and ablation procedures. An exemplary acoustic assessment system for a catheter may comprise a flexible catheter shaft. At least one acoustic transducer is positioned in the flexible catheter shaft. The at least one acoustic transducer emits a generated acoustic signal for reflection by adjacent tissue. The at least one acoustic transducer receives a reflected acoustic signal from the adjacent tissue and generates electrical signals corresponding to one or more property of the tissue. An output device is electrically connected to the at least one acoustic transducer. The output device receives the electrical signals and generate output for a user for assessing the tissue.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An acoustic assessment system for a catheter, the system comprising:
 a flexible catheter shaft;   at least one acoustic transducer coupled to the flexible catheter shaft, the at least one acoustic transducer configured to emit a generated acoustic signal for reflection by an adjacent tissue, the at least one acoustic transducer configured to receive a reflected acoustic signal from the adjacent tissue responsive to the emitted acoustic signal;   an output device electrically connected to the at least one acoustic transducer, the output device including a processing device configured to interpret a characteristic of the reflected acoustic signal corresponding to one or more properties of the tissue, wherein the characteristic of the reflected acoustic signal includes at least one of an amplitude, a velocity, a periodicity, or a transit time; and   a window positioned adjacent to the at least one acoustic transducer, the window configured to focus the generated acoustic signal;   wherein the output device is configured to generate output for assessing the one or more properties of the tissue.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the system comprises a lesion assessment system, and wherein the one or more properties of the tissue includes a real-time assessment of a lesion state. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the system comprises a mapping system, and wherein the generated output comprises a map of the one or more properties of the tissue. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the characteristic of the reflected acoustic signal is amplitude, and wherein the one or more properties of the tissue includes a level of ablation or lesion formation. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the characteristic of the reflected acoustic signal is velocity, and wherein the one or more properties of the tissue includes a degree of edema. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the characteristic of the reflected acoustic signal is periodicity, and wherein the one or more properties of the tissue includes tissue layering. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the characteristic of the reflected acoustic signal is transit time, and wherein the one or more properties of the tissue includes tissue thickness. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the characteristic of the reflected acoustic signal includes amplitude and velocity. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the characteristic of the reflected acoustic signal includes amplitude and periodicity. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the characteristic of the reflected acoustic signal includes amplitude and transit time. 
     
     
         12 . An acoustic assessment system for a catheter, the system comprising:
 a flexible catheter shaft;   at least one acoustic transducer coupled to the flexible catheter shaft, the at least one acoustic transducer configured to emit a generated acoustic signal for reflection by an adjacent tissue, the at least one acoustic transducer configured to receive a reflected acoustic signal from the adjacent tissue responsive to the emitted acoustic signal; and   an output device electrically connected to the at least one acoustic transducer, the output device including a processing device configured to interpret a periodicity of the reflected acoustic signal as an indicator of dynamic contact between the catheter shaft and the adjacent tissue;   wherein the output device is configured to generate output for assessing the dynamic contact.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein a correlation between a heartbeat signal and the periodicity of the reflected acoustic signal indicates a level of dynamic contact. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein a correlation between a heartbeat signal and the periodicity of the reflected acoustic signal indicates that the catheter shaft is moving in response to the heartbeat. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein an amplitude of the output is indicative of a level of contact between the catheter shaft and the adjacent tissue. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein a level of contact between the catheter shaft and the adjacent tissue can be adjusted based on an amplitude of the output. 
     
     
         17 . An acoustic assessment system for a catheter, the system comprising:
 a flexible catheter shaft;   at least one acoustic transducer coupled to the flexible catheter shaft, the at least one acoustic transducer configured to emit the following: i) a first generated acoustic signal for reflection by a first tissue layer comprising a first cell type, and ii) a second generated acoustic signal for reflection by a second tissue layer comprising a second cell type, the at least one acoustic transducer configured to receive first and second reflected acoustic signals from the first and second tissue layers, respectively; and   an output device electrically connected to the at least one acoustic transducer, the output device including a processing device configured to interpret a characteristic of the first and second reflected acoustic signals corresponding to one or more properties of the first and second tissue layers, respectively;   wherein the output device is configured to generate output for assessing the one or more properties of the first and second tissue layers.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the system comprises a lesion assessment system, and wherein the one or more properties of the first and second tissue layers includes a real-time assessment of a lesion state. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the system comprises a mapping system, and wherein the generated output comprises a map of the one or more properties of the first and second tissue layers. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the characteristic of the first and second reflected acoustic signals corresponding to one or more properties of the first and second tissue layers, respectively, includes at least one of an amplitude, a velocity, a periodicity, or a transit time. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first cell type comprises muscle cells and the second cell type comprises fat cells.