Patent ID: 8603084

Claim:
A system for assessing the formation of a lesion in a tissue as a result of an ablation procedure being performed on said tissue, comprising: an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to: acquire a magnitude for the power applied to said tissue during the formation of said lesion in said tissue; and acquire magnitudes for a plurality of components of a complex impedance between an electrode and said tissue, wherein said plurality of components of said complex impedance comprise: a reactance between said electrode and said tissue at a point in time for which said value is to be calculated; a resistance between said electrode and said tissue at a point in time for which said value is to be calculated; an impedance between said electrode and said tissue at a point in time for which said value is to be calculated; a first pre-ablation phase angle between said electrode and said tissue prior to said electrode contacting said tissue; and a second pre-ablation phase angle between said electrode and said tissue following contact between said electrode and said tissue; and calculate a value responsive to said magnitudes of said plurality of components of said complex impedance and said power, said value indicative of one of a predicted depth of said lesion in said tissue, a likelihood of said lesion having a predetermined depth in said tissue, and a predicted temperature of said tissue.