It's diagnosis becomes important so the treating doctor doesn't confuse it for another periapical disease such as rarefying osteitis or condensing osteitis.

Being that it is the most common fibro-osseous lesion, although relatively rare compared to rarefying osteitis, incorrect diagnosis would lead to many unnecessary root canal treatments.

Rarefying osteitis is a general term for a radiolucent lesion on a radiograph usually diagnosed as a periapical abscess or a periapical cyst.