Systems and methods for assessment of contact quality

A system for monitoring tissue ablation comprising:

• a catheter comprising:
• a catheter body;
• and
• a distal tip positioned at a distal end of the catheter body, the distal tip having one or more openings for passing light energy to a tissue;
• an ablation system in communication with the distal tip to deliver ablation energy to the distal tip;
• a visualization system comprising a light source, a light measuring instrument, and one or more optical fibers in communication with the light source and the light measuring instrument and extending through the catheter body to the distal tip, wherein the one or more optical fibers are configured to pass light energy to the tissue;
• a processor in communication with an ablation energy source, the light source and the light measuring instrument, the processor being programmed to:
• receive NADH fluorescence data from the tissue illuminated with a light through the distal tip of the catheter during the delivery of ablation energy to the tissue;
• and
• display an amplitude of an NADH fluorescence signal during the delivery of ablation energy, wherein the amplitude of the NADH fluorescence signal is indicative of a stability of a contact between the distal tip of the catheter and the tissue.

A system for monitoring tissue ablation comprising:

• an elongated body;
• an ablation system associated with a distal tip of the elongated body for delivering ablation energy to a tissue;
• a visualization system comprising a light source, a light measuring instrument, and one or more optical fibers in communication with the light source and the light measuring instrument and extending through the elongated body to the distal tip, wherein the one or more optical fibers are configured to pass light energy to the tissue to illuminate the tissue to excite NADH in the tissue;
• a processor in communication with the visualization system, the processor being programmed to:
• receive NADH fluorescence data from the tissue during the delivery of ablation energy to the tissue;
• and
• display an amplitude of an NADH fluorescence signal during the delivery of ablation energy, wherein the amplitude of the NADH fluorescence signal is indicative of a stability of a contact between the distal tip of the elongated body and the tissue.