Diffusion-weighted MRI for Individualized Radiation Therapy Planning of Lung Cancer

This clinical trial studies diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in identifying and localizing tumors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer undergoing radiation therapy. Diagnostic procedures such as diffusion weighted MRI may help identify where active cancer is to improve the targeting accuracy of radiotherapy. Comparing results of diagnostic procedures done before, during, and after radiation therapy may help determine how the location and volume of tumors changes over time and predict how the tumor will respond to therapy.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Assess diffusion-weighted MRI as an early predictor for tumor response in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). II. Establish the potential of individualized radiotherapy targeting of radioresistant tumor sub-volumes. OUTLINE: Patients undergo diffusion-weighted MRI within 4 weeks of radiation start (baseline), during the second week of radiation therapy, during the fourth week of radiation therapy, and at 3 months after radiation therapy (post-treatment). Patients also undergo standard of care 4-dimensional (4D) computed tomography (CT) and fludeoxyglucose F 18 (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) at the same time points.