When would a pet scan be considered for "academic" purposes as opposed to everyday?

A PET scan for academic purposes would most likely mean one being done for research or studying something. The clinical routine use for PET scans, would be to diagnose and follow up certain conditions. One of the most common would be to see if the cancer has spread in the bones or lymph nodes or liver, or to see if the cancer has shrunk or is no longer found after treatment.