PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:~I. To assess the safety and feasibility of hyperpolarized 13C MR metabolic imaging as a new and unique tool for making an early assessment of progression and evaluation of response to therapy in patients with lower grade glioma II. To determine whether changes in levels of hyperpolarized 13C pyruvate, lactate and bicarbonate may provide early evidence of tumor progression in patients with lower grade glioma who are being followed with surveillance scans.~III. To determine whether patients with lower grade glioma who are receiving treatment exhibit a reduction in levels of hyperpolarized 13C lactate/pyruvate at follow-up compared to their baseline scan.~OUTLINE: Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 groups.~GROUP I: Patients undergo MR imaging (MRI) and MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) scans over 1 hour at baseline. Patients then continue to undergo MRSI scans that follow the clinical MRI schedule set by doctors to monitor patients' care.~GROUP II: Patients undergo MRI scan at baseline. Patients then receive hyperpolarized carbon C 13 pyruvate intravenously (IV) over less than 1 minute and undergo MRSI scan at baseline. Patients then continue to undergo MRSI scans that follow the clinical MRI schedule set by doctors to monitor patients' care.
This trial studies how well serial magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and MR spectroscopic imaging work in characterizing lower grade glioma. Diagnostic procedures, such as MR imaging and MR spectroscopic imaging, may detect serial changes in lower grade glioma. This study may help researchers learn more about practical ways of evaluating and standardizing treatment in patients with brain tumors.