Apparatus, comprising: a radiofrequency ablation catheter having a distal end configured to be inserted into contact with tissue to be ablated, the distal end comprising a force sensor configured to measure the force applied by the distal end; an electrode attached to the distal end; a temperature sensor incorporated in the distal end and configured to output a temperature signal; and processing circuitry comprising: a force module configured to receive signals from the force sensor and generate a magnitude of the contact force, a power module comprising a radiofrequency signal generator configured to apply a pulse of RF electrical energy via the electrode to the tissue, so as to heat the tissue, an irrigation module configured to control a rate of flow of irrigation fluid supplied to the distal end, a temperature module configured to receive the temperature signal and determine a temperature registered by the temperature sensor, and a processor, characterized in that the processing circuitry is configured to compute, based on the temperature registered by the temperature sensor, a rate of temperature change of the distal end following termination of the pulse, wherein the rate of temperature change is a function of the magnitude of the contact force, a power level applied by the generator, a length of time of the pulse, and the rate of flow of irrigation fluid supplied to the distal end, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine a normalized rate of temperature change from the rate of temperature change based upon a direct proportionality for the magnitude of the contact force, the power level, and the length of time of the pulse, and an inverse proportionality for the rate of flow of irrigation fluid supplied to the distal end, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to estimate a thickness of the tissue using a relationship between the normalized rate of temperature change and thickness of the tissue. a radiofrequency ablation catheter having a distal end configured to be inserted into contact with tissue to be ablated, the distal end comprising a force sensor configured to measure the force applied by the distal end; an electrode attached to the distal end; a temperature sensor incorporated in the distal end and configured to output a temperature signal; and processing circuitry comprising: a force module configured to receive signals from the force sensor and generate a magnitude of the contact force, a power module comprising a radiofrequency signal generator configured to apply a pulse of RF electrical energy via the electrode to the tissue, so as to heat the tissue, an irrigation module configured to control a rate of flow of irrigation fluid supplied to the distal end, a temperature module configured to receive the temperature signal and determine a temperature registered by the temperature sensor, and a processor, a force module configured to receive signals from the force sensor and generate a magnitude of the contact force, a power module comprising a radiofrequency signal generator configured to apply a pulse of RF electrical energy via the electrode to the tissue, so as to heat the tissue, an irrigation module configured to control a rate of flow of irrigation fluid supplied to the distal end, a temperature module configured to receive the temperature signal and determine a temperature registered by the temperature sensor, and a processor, characterized in that the processing circuitry is configured to compute, based on the temperature registered by the temperature sensor, a rate of temperature change of the distal end following termination of the pulse, wherein the rate of temperature change is a function of the magnitude of the contact force, a power level applied by the generator, a length of time of the pulse, and the rate of flow of irrigation fluid supplied to the distal end, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine a normalized rate of temperature change from the rate of temperature change based upon a direct proportionality for the magnitude of the contact force, the power level, and the length of time of the pulse, and an inverse proportionality for the rate of flow of irrigation fluid supplied to the distal end, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to estimate a thickness of the tissue using a relationship between the normalized rate of temperature change and thickness of the tissue.