Ferumoxytol-Enhanced MRI in Imaging Lymph Nodes in Patients With Stage IIB-IIIC Esophageal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Pathologically confirmed, locally advanced, malignancy of the esophagus; the cancer may involve the stomach up to 5 cm; based on multi-disciplinary tumor board discussion, patients are candidates for tri-modality treatment * Stage T1-4aN1-2, by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 7th edition, based on the following minimum workup: * Computed tomography (CT) chest/abdomen with contrast * Positron emission tomography (PET)/CT of the whole-body or skull base to mid-thigh * Patients must have regional adenopathy and have undergone endoscopic biopsy with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-proven peri-esophageal nodal involvement * Subjects must have had no prior therapy for cancer of the esophagus * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =\< 2 (Karnofsky \>= 60%) * White blood cell count \>= 3.0 K/cu mm * Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1.5 K/cu mm * Platelets \>= 100 K/cu mm * Hemoglobin \>= 8.0 g/dl (The use of transfusion or other invention to achieve Hemoglobin \[Hgb\] \>= 8.0 g/dl is acceptable) * Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 X institutional upper limit of normal * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)(serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) =\< 2.5 X institutional upper limit of normal * Creatinine within normal institutional limits OR creatinine clearance \>= 60 mL/min/1.73 m\^2 for subjects with creatinine levels above institutional normal * …