Ablation catheter with blood perfusion sensor

A system for performing ablation on a target tissue, the system comprising:

• a catheter including:
• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and an opposite distal end;
• a catheter tip coupled to the distal end of the catheter body and configured to deliver ablative energy to the target tissue;
• a first optical fiber disposed within the catheter body and the catheter tip;
• and
• a second optical fiber disposed within the catheter body and the catheter tip;
• a light source operatively connected to the first optical fiber and configured to generate and transmit a first light beam to be directed from the catheter tip toward the target tissue;
• a light detector operatively connected to the second optical fiber and configured to detect a second light beam that is reflected from the target tissue;
• and
• a measurement processor operatively connected to the light detector and configured to measure and generate an output representing a degree of blood perfusion within the target tissue when the catheter tip is in contact with the target tissue and to measure a change in blood perfusion within the target tissue based on a change in the volume of blood within the target tissue resulting from a force applied to the target tissue by the catheter tip.