- Fludeoxyglucose F 18 (18FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging: All patients undergo positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of the head, neck, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis. Patients receive fludeoxyglucose F 18 (^18FDG) IV followed by 45 minutes of rest. PET imaging is done over 1 hour and 8 minutes. Patients undergo PET imaging at three points during the study: 4 weeks prior to treatment, after the first cycle of treatment, and after 3 courses of chemotherapy. Some patients then undergo surgical resection of the tumor.