This phase II trial studies how well 3'-deoxy-3'-18F fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) works in predicting response in patients receiving chemotherapy and undergoing surgery for breast cancer that has spread from where it started to nearby tissue or lymph nodes. Diagnostic procedures, such as 18F-FLT PET/CT, may help in learning how well chemotherapy works to kill breast cancer cells before surgery and help doctors plan the best treatment.