SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ULTRASONICALLY SENSING AND ABLATING TISSUE

Echo-anatomically mapping tissue includes advancing a catheter having an ultrasound transducer toward tissue. A console adjacent the proximal end of the catheter controls catheter movement, and the ultrasound transducer senses tissue. First and second regions of the tissue are ultrasonically sensed while moving the ultrasound transducer along first, and second sensing patterns, respectively. A first 3-dimensional surface map of the first region, and a second 3-dimensional surface map of the second region are generated. The 3-dimensional surface maps are combined to form a combined surface map. Anatomical features may be identified in the first or second sensed regions. The tissue may be ultrasonically ablated while moving the ultrasound transducer along a first ablation path. The first ablation path may form a lesion around the identified anatomical features, and may be selected from a catalog of ablation paths or it may be prescribed by a physician.