Positron Emission Tomography Using Fluorine F 18 EF5 to Find Oxygen in Tumor Cells of Patients Who Are Undergoing Surgery or Biopsy for Newly Diagnosed Brain Tumors

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the safety of fluorine F 18 EF5 (\^18F-EF5) in patients with newly diagnosed brain tumors undergoing surgery or biopsy. Secondary I. Determine the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of \^18F-EF5 administered before and after nonradioactive EF5 in these patients. II. Determine the ability of positron emission tomography (PET) scanning using \^18F-EF5 to detect tumor hypoxia in these patients. III. Determine the presence and pattern of nonradioactive EF5 binding by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or flow cytometry in these patients. IV. Correlate tumor hypoxia, as measured by PET scanning using \^18F-EF5, with EF5 staining by IHC and/or flow cytometry and recurrence-free survival of these patients. OUTLINE: Patients are assigned to 1 of 3 groups. Group 1: Patients receive fluorine F 18 EF5 (\^18F-EF5) IV followed by whole brain and whole body positron emission tomography (PET) scanning OR whole body PET scanning only. Patients then receive nonradioactive EF5 IV over 1-2 ½ hours. Group 2: Patients receive nonradioactive EF5 IV over 1-2½ hours followed by \^18F-EF5 IV. Patients then undergo whole brain and whole body PET scanning. Group 3: Patients receive nonradioactive EF5 and \^18F-EF5 as in group 2. Patients then undergo whole brain PET scanning. Approximately one day after EF5 administration, all patients undergo surgery or biopsy of the tumor AND biopsy of normal skin adjacent to the incision. Patients are followed at 2-4 weeks and 4-6 weeks after EF5 administration and then every 3 months for 1 year, every 4 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 1 year, and then annually thereafter.