Fludeoxyglucose (FDG) F 18 PET Scan, CT Scan, and Ferumoxtran-10 MRI Scan Before Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy in Finding Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients With Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer or High-Risk Endometrial Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following: * Invasive carcinoma of the cervix meeting all of the following criteria: * Previously untreated, primary disease * Locoregionally advanced (stage IB2, IIA \[\>= 4 cm\], or IIB-IVA) disease * Any cell type allowed * High-risk endometrial carcinoma meeting 1 of the following criteria: * Grade 3 endometrioid or non-endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (clear cell or serous papillary) or carcinosarcoma diagnosed from an endometrial biopsy or dilation and curettage or * Grade 1 or 2 endometrioid endometrial carcinoma with cervical stromal involvement overt on clinical examination or confirmed by endocervical curettage * Under consideration for chemoradiotherapy (patients with cervical cancer) * Undergone appropriate surgery for cervical or endometrial carcinoma with appropriate tissue available for histologic evaluation to confirm diagnosis and stage * Appropriate surgical candidate to undergo extraperitoneal or laparoscopic lymph node sampling OR hysterectomy and lymph node sampling * No surgery for patients with advanced lymphadenopathy * No recurrent invasive carcinoma of the uterus or uterine cervix regardless of previous treatment * No known metastases to the lungs or scalene lymph nodes * No metastases to other organs outside of the pelvis or abdominal lymph nodes at the time of the original clinical diagnosis * Patients with endometrial cancer wi…