Benchtop experiments of an ultrasound fiber optic temperature measurement system for atrial fibrillation ablation procedures

Abstract

In this paper, we developed and tested an ultrasound fiber optic temperature measurement system for atrial fibrillation (Afib) ablation procedures. Currently, Afib ablation procedures lack an efficient way to provide a clinical end. To address this, we put forward a unique non-contact approach to measure the temperature on the ablated tissue. The temperature on the tissue is detected by measuring the acoustic velocity of the ultrasound signal, which is generated and detected by optical fibers. Benchtop experiments were performed on a bovine liver to validate the developed temperature measurement system. Experimental results indicated that the system had successfully registered the temperature changes on the surface of the bovine liver. The temperature measurement system can be further used to control the ablation dosage.