Imaging and Blood-Based Biomarkers for the Evaluation of Early Signs of Myocardial Injury After Thoracic Radiation Therapy

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients who have been evaluated by a radiation oncologist and have been felt to be suitable to undergo thoracic RT for histologically confirmed NSCLC with a dose range of 60-70 Gy at 1.8-2 Gy per fraction OR histologically confirmed clinical stage I-IVA (AJCC 8th ed) middle or thoracic esophageal or gastroesophageal cancer (squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma) with a planned dose range of 41.4-60 Gy at 1.8-2 Gy per fraction as part of treatment of their malignancy * Concurrent chemotherapy is permitted * For NSCLC patients, both concurrent and/or adjuvant immunotherapy is permitted * Patients participating in other research studies are eligible as long as participation in this study does not interfere with activities required in the other studies * Patients with no contra-indications to magnetic resonance (MR) or PET imaging as stated in the section exclusion criteria * For the delayed enhancement and the T1 contrast mapping portions of the study, the patient must have an adequate baseline renal function defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \> 30 ml/min per the Ohio State Institutional Guidelines. Of note, if the patient's eGFR is =\< 30 ml/min, the patient would still be eligible for enrollment, but only the strain-encoded (SENC) imaging and T2 mapping non-contrast sequences would be obtained. The dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) and T1 mapping sequences, which require intravenous (IV) contrast, would not be included * Patien…