Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is an innovative non-thermal ablation technique increasingly utilized in cancer treatment due to its unique operational principles and clinical advantages. As a novel interventional ultrasound technology, IRE has undergone extensive research, development, and practical application over the years. IRE ablation, particularly in conjunction with immunotherapy, has emerged as a significant modality in cancer treatment and related fields. This article aims to present the advancements in irreversible electroporation ablation for cancer through an examination of both basic research and clinical applications.

Cancer, one of the leading causes of global mortality, arises from dysregulated cellular processes that create an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), promoting immune evasion and therapeutic resistance. While immunotherapy activates the immune system to combat tumors and provide durable benefits, its efficacy is often constrained by the hostile TME. Focused ultrasound (FUS) has emerged as a non-invasive, and precise therapeutic modality capable of mechanically or thermally ablating solid tumors. This review discusses the dual mechanisms of FUS—thermal ablation (T-HIFU) and mechanical disruption (M-HIFU, e.g., histotripsy)—and their role in modulating the TME. Specifically, it examines how FUS-induced immune activation can overcome immunosuppressive barriers, promote T-cell infiltration, and synergize with immunotherapy to improve outcomes in solid tumors, while also highlighting current challenges and future directions.

Objective It is always a clinical challenge to identify neonatal pulmonary hypertension (NPH). Although the diagnostic gold standard of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the true measurement of resting pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) through cardiac catheterization, it is inappropriate for delicate newborns. Hence, echocardiography examination has become the most common inspection tool for NPH despite its limitations.
Methods After outlining the conventional echocardiographic parameters for detecting NPH and their drawbacks in newborns, this review mainly discussed the roles of two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography, including RV global longitudinal strain and segmental longitudinal strain, in the evaluation of NPH, hoping to provide more information for detecting NPH.
Results When combined with conventional echocardiographic parameters, RV longitudinal strain would be a great help for the evaluation of NPH. Furthermore, based on the preliminary research, our finding revealed that the magnitude of the apical segmental strain of RVFW was significantly lower, and the basal-to-apical strain ratio (Ratio bas/api) of RVFW was remarkably higher in infants with PH than those without PH.
Conclusion Based on the particularity of newborns, neonatal echocardiography is the preferred inspection method for NPH. It provides hemodynamic, morphological and functional information for evaluating NPH. RV longitudinal strain is sensitive to subtle changes of RV function and closely related to PH. It could be considered not only as the key factor affecting the prognosis of NPH but also as a potential index to detect and identify NPH.

Objective To improve infant outcomes and guide treatment decisions, early and accurate diagnosis of congenital abnormalities during pregnancy is crucial. Despite its excellent accuracy, chorionic villus sampling (CVS) has procedural dangers; sonography offers a non-invasive, safer substitute. With an emphasis on clinical value, safety, and diagnostic accuracy, this evaluation assesses how well sonography performs in identifying congenital diseases prior to 12 weeks of gestation when compared to CVS.
Methods A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted using databases such as Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus. Studies published between 2015 and 2024 that examined the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of sonography and CVS for congenital illness identification were included.
Results With a sensitivity of 85-90%, sonography shows excellent accuracy in identifying anatomical abnormalities such organ malformations and nuchal translucency. Although CVS has a 0.5-1% chance of miscarriage, it is still the gold standard for identifying chromosomal abnormalities with an accuracy of around 99%. Combining the two modalities reduces hazards while improving diagnostic accuracy.
Conclusion For low-risk populations in particular, sonography provides a dependable, non-invasive screening method for congenital abnormalities prior to 12 weeks. For high-risk instances that need genetic investigation, CVS is advised. Integration of both approaches could optimize prenatal diagnostic protocols.